Open Letter to Minister Sophie Hermans and to the Dutch delegation at COP29 to urge support for Global Energy Storage Pledge
Dear Minister Sophie Hermans,
As signatories to this letter, we are writing to urge you to support COP29 Presidency’s Global Energy Storage Pledge – set at 1.5TW of energy storage by 2030 – at the upcoming COP29 conference in November in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has found that a six-fold increase in energy storage in the electricity sector is needed by 2030 to keep the world on track for rapid decarbonization and net zero by 2050. Furthermore, we believe that energy storage, coupled with renewable generation, is key to increasing European competitiveness and energy security for our citizens.
However, deployment on the ground requires an energy storage target. Therefore, we are supporting the Global Energy Storage Pledge, in line with the Global Renewables Alliance, and we ask you to endorse the following at COP29 and beyond:
- The 3XRenewables by 2030 and broader Paris Agreement goals will not be met if storage does not expand faster than current trends to 2030;
- Therefore, EU and national governments must agree to a global target of 1.5TW of energy storage by 2030 at COP29;
- Beyond 2030, there will be an increasing need for longer-duration energy storage (LDES) and larger capacities;
- Additional targets should be set at future COPs, with a process to set them agreed upon at COP29;
- EU and national governments should begin planning for their flexibility needs now, assessing what will be required to meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement, setting individual targets, and implementing enabling policies to meet those targets. In particular, they should set storage targets within their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), due to be submitted by February 2025.
By adopting the 1.5TW global energy storage target, world leaders would also send a clear market signal. Energy storage targets create long-term certainty for investors and customers, helping to unlock private capital for the necessary growth of green technologies.
We believe that, Minister Hermans, your leadership is essential in advancing this agenda. Supporting the Global Energy Storage Pledge at COP29, and its inclusion in the next round of NDCs, will accelerate the Netherlands’ progress toward a low-carbon future, while also boosting green growth and long-term energy security for citizens and businesses.
We respectfully urge you to champion these critical targets and help build a sustainable and prosperous future for all.
Open letter contact: Janneke Tjon Pian Gi, Chief Commerial Officer at AQUABATTERY, via janneke.tjonpiangi@aquabattery.nl.