TCP Webinar: Energy efficiency and the role of home energy storage in energy transitions

The IEA’s Digital Demand-Driven Electricity Networks (3DEN) Initiative and IEA - 4E TCP Efficient, Demand Flexible Networked Appliances (EDNA) are co-organising a webinar on the critical role of home energy storage systems (HESS) in enabling secure, flexible, and decarbonised power systems. This event will take place on April 28 2025, and will feature a presentation of the 4E TCP EDNA report Advancing the Energy Efficiency of Home Energy Storage Systems (HESS). The webinar is being held in collaboration with The Institute for Sustainable Futures and will provide analysis and policy guidance for improving energy efficiency.

Batteries are central to achieving secure, flexible, and decarbonised energy systems. The International Energy Agency shows in its special report on Batteries and Secure Transitions that energy storage must increase sixfold by 2030. Massive progress has been made, leading to record growth, but critical bottlenecks remain.

Differences in HESS energy efficiency performance now could result in substantially more energy consumed by 2030 if minimum performance standards are not implemented. Household-scale batteries, especially when coupled with solar and smart controls, are part of the solution, but only if deployed efficiently and strategically. Energy storage isn't inherently efficient—real-world losses can be substantial. Efficiency varies widely between systems due to design, chemistry, and standby losses. Without performance standards, there’s a risk of locking in low-performing systems that erode grid and climate benefits. Smart policies and testing protocols can ensure HESS delivers reduced energy costs, empowering consumers and supporting grids.

The presentation will explore why batteries are essential to energy transitions, examine the current state of HESS energy efficiency, and review existing standards used to test HESS energy efficiency performance. It will also identify key barriers to improving the minimum energy efficiency of HESS and provide some recommendations to help overcome these challenges.

The IEA gratefully acknowledges the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security for their support as part of their contributions to IEA’s Digital Demand Driven Electricity Networks (3DEN) Initiative on power system modernisation and effective utilisation of demand side resources through digitalisation and to the Clean Energy Transitions Programme.