How does global collaboration contribute to achieving climate and energy goals?
Julia Souder, CEO, LDES Council, says global collaboration speeds the clean-energy transition by helping countries share solutions, build flexible and reliable power systems, and scale long-duration storage to meet rising demand.
How does global collaboration contribute to achieving breakthrough climate and energy goals?
We are in the decisive decade, and countries now recognise that clean energy must deliver reliability and affordability at scale. That depends on modern grids and a full spectrum of storage solutions, especially long duration energy storage (LDES), which provides the multi-hour and multi-day flexibility high-renewable systems need. Since countries modernise at different speeds, global alignment helps accelerate progress.
This is reflected in growing commitments across 65 countries that have set goals linked to flexible, resilient power systems, and nearly 100 reference storage in their national climate plans, many with specific targets. This shared direction is turning ambition into implementation.
India’s scale, rising demand, and industrial ambition make it one of the few economies proving that clean energy can support development and deep decarbonisation at the same time. This is where collaboration becomes powerful. It has become the new currency of energy leadership, helping countries and industries learn from each other, avoid shared challenges, and speed the build-out of flexible, reliable systems. Across the LDES Council, we see this daily as members exchange practical insights and form partnerships that scale solutions across regions.
Which policies are critical to accelerating the transition to clean, affordable and secure energy?
Policies that place reliability and system flexibility at their core are now essential. Multi-year tenders, storage mandates, industrial decarbonisation roadmaps, and energy standards for fast-growing infrastructure help integrate renewables with storage, modern grids, and flexible generation.
Countries that invest early in flexibility infrastructure capture the economic benefits of low-cost renewables while avoiding volatility, curtailment, and grid congestion, which intensify as industrial and digital loads grow. As supply chains shift and policies such as the EU’s CBAM reshape global trade, industries that move toward low-carbon production gain a long-term advantage.
Several countries offer useful examples. Germany is easing planning rules for large-scale storage. The UK has introduced a cap-and-floor scheme to give long-duration storage revenue certainty. So has the New South Wales, Australia introduced LTESA boosting investors confidence and offering long-term offtake. Italy’s MACSE auction procured 10 GWh of storage. Ireland is developing an LDES mechanism to support a system targeting 80 percent renewables. These steps show how clear, targeted policy can speed deployment while keeping energy secure and affordable.
What role is digital technology playing in improving the efficiency and resilience of existing energy systems?
Digitalisation is now essential as power systems grow more complex. Data centre demand alone is expected to rise from about 80 GW today to 220 GW by 2030, placing new pressure on grids to deliver round-the-clock clean electricity. Digital tools help manage this demand by improving forecasting, optimising operations, and coordinating flexible resources. When paired with LDES, they enable stable, high-renewable systems capable of supporting economic growth and expanding digital infrastructure.
How does India Energy Week 2026 support the themes of collaboration, resilience and transition across the global energy value-chain?
India Energy Week 2026 brings together the countries and industries shaping the next stage of the transition. It provides a practical forum to share project experience, align on system flexibility, and form partnerships that speed deployment. India’s scale and clean energy momentum make it an ideal host. For the LDES Council, the event highlights how long duration storage can strengthen reliability, support growth, and anchor regional energy security while uniting global players around affordable, resilient clean power.
What key messages will you bring to India Energy Week 2026?
Flexibility will define the pace and success of the clean energy transition. Countries that invest early in storage, modern grids, and digital tools will secure reliable, low-cost power. India is setting the pace through rapid renewable growth and rising manufacturing strength. Scaling long duration storage is imminent as electrification, digital and industrial demand grows. Scaling long duration storage is the next step as digital and industrial demand grows. I will also emphasise that collaboration speeds progress and that flexibility investment is an economic strategy that attracts the industries of the future.
What initiatives or innovations will you be showcasing during the event?
We will present analysis on how long duration storage supports India’s transition goals, lowers system costs, and strengthens reliability. We will share global case studies from members deploying solutions across diverse markets and highlight partnerships advancing India’s flexibility ecosystem, including work on system planning, policy design, manufacturing. Together these efforts show how LDES can help India scale clean growth and guide global innovation.
