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The Southern Thailand Wind Power and Battery Energy Storage Project, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2020, was the first private sector initiative to support the development of 10 MW utility-scale wind power generation with an integrated 1.88 MWh BESS in Thailand.
In July 2022, the China Energy Construction Corporation began construction of the first solar thermal storage demonstration project in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, with 10 MW of thermal storage and 90 MW of solar power. In particular, China showcased its climate leadership in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Energy storage allows for the increased use of wind and solar power, which can not only increase access to power in developing countries, but also increase the resilience of energy systems, improve grid reliability, stability, and power quality, essential to promoting the productive uses of energy.
This implies a major shift in energy storage investors to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) from power grid companies such as China Energy, Huaneng, Huadian, and State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) .
The most recent update regarding BESS installations is that in Tume and Rēzekne, Latvia’s transmission system operator “Augstsprieguma tīkli” (AST) in June 2025 installed battery energy storage systems with a combined capacity of 80 MW and 160 MWh, which will undergo testing until October 2025.
Latvia’s Recovery and Resilience Plan plays a key role in the energy transition, supporting economic recovery through major investments in renewables like wind, solar, and biomass, as well as initiatives such as a 60 MW Battery Energy Storage System by 2026 and cross-border projects to synchronize with Continental Europe .
Latvia’s Energy Strategy 2050 outlines major changes in renewable energy production and storage, with significant investments planned in wind, solar, biomass, and biogas, as well as in energy storage technologies like batteries and subsurface systems to ensure supply stability .
Local authorities are responsible for municipal energy supply and renewable energy projects, with Latvia’s energy transition guided by the National Energy and Climate Plan and the Energy Strategy 2050.
A battery energy storage system (BESS) plays a vital role in balancing renewable energy’s intermittency during peaks of demand for electricity. It stores excess energy generated by sources such as solar power and wind during periods of low demand and releases it when needed — ensuring grid stability and preventing outages.
As the world continues to invest in clean, resilient energy systems, BESS will remain at the forefront, helping to build a more sustainable future for everyone. Despite its benefits, deploying battery energy storage systems presents several challenges. A key issue is battery degradation over time, particularly for lithium-ion batteries.
As we shift toward clean energy, battery storage systems have become key to integrating renewables into the grid. 1 By smoothing out the energy supply from intermittent renewable sources, BESS enhances grid reliability, reduces reliance on fossil fuels and helps lower carbon emissions, making it a crucial player in the energy transition.
Looking ahead, a sixfold increase in global energy storage capacity is needed by 2030, with 1,200 GW expected to come from battery systems, to meet climate and energy goals. 8 Reducing emissions: BESS optimises the use of renewables by storing excess energy, reducing the need for fossil fuel power generation.
