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Renewables will still require some form of long-term utility energy storage though. Hydrogen seems like it could be a useful medium for that - batteries have gotten a lot better, but it's not clear that they'll become cheap enough when everything else wants batteries as well. Pumped hydro can only be installed in so many places (not to mention the tremendous environmental impact of building it).



Hydrocarbons for energy storage are and will stay way more efficient and safe than pure hydrogen or batteries.


Using synthetic hydrocarbons for energy storage will always cost more than storing hydrogen underground, or bonded to nitrogen as ammonia.

There will be reasons to synthesize hydrocarbons, but energy storage won't be among them.




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