What a reliable clean power system looks like

This fact sheet outlines nine clean flexibility tools—divided into supply optimization, storage, sharing, and demand shifting—necessary to integrate high levels of renewable energy into a stable power grid. It highlights specific technologies like LDES and smart electrification, and critiques COP29 proposals for only partially addressing the full portfolio of required flexibility tools.

• A reliable clean power system requires a combination of nine clean flexibility tools categorized into four functions: supply optimization, storage, sharing, and shifting demand. These tools act as the "brain" of the system to balance supply and demand in real time and maintain grid stability.
• The system utilizes four specific tools for storing excess renewable power across different timeframes: batteries, pumped hydro storage, long duration energy storage (LDES) such as compressed air storage for periods of days or weeks, and green hydrogen produced via electrolysis.
• Demand-side flexibility is achieved through two tools: peak shaving, where consumers receive incentives to reduce consumption during predicted demand spikes, and smart electrification, where technologies like electric vehicles and heat pumps automatically respond to dynamic pricing.
• Supply flexibility involves optimizing generation assets so they can switch off to accommodate cheaper electricity. This includes technical improvements to fossil plants and the temporary reduction of wind and solar output when supply exceeds demand.
• The Azerbaijani delegation at COP29 proposed three measures—a global storage target, a grid expansion target, and action on green hydrogen—but the document notes these only partially address the nine necessary flexibility tools by omitting demand-shifting and supply-flexibility tools.

APA

Ember (n.d.). What a reliable clean power system looks like. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/What-a-reliable-clean-power-system-looks-like.pdf

Chicago

Ember. What a reliable clean power system looks like. n.d. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/What-a-reliable-clean-power-system-looks-like.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=What a reliable clean power system looks like |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/What-a-reliable-clean-power-system-looks-like.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{emberndwhat, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{What a reliable clean power system looks like}}, institution = {Ember}, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/10/What-a-reliable-clean-power-system-looks-like.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }