Lifecycle Environmental Impact Analysis of Emerging Energy Storage Technologies in the GCC Context

The high pace of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region renewable electricity expansion has increased the strategic significance of energy storage technologies that can stabilize grids that have a high level of solar penetration and severe climatic conditions. Although, the deployment objectives have improved, the eco-friendliness of storage technologies throughout lifecycle is not studied sufficiently on arid, high temperature, and water-limited environments. This paper is a structured lifecycle assessment (LCA) review of some of the emerging and scalable energy storage technologies applicable to the GCC including lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, flow batteries, pumped hydro storage, compressed air energy storage, gravity storage, and green hydrogen-based storage systems. This review is based on the synthesis of peer-reviewed lifecycle data by the application of a cradle-to-grave analytical framework congruent with the ISO 14040/44 principles that present carbon intensity, material criticality, water dependency, land transformation, operational degradation at extreme heat, and end-of-life management pathways. Special attention is given to the role of regional specificity, the reliance on desalination, exposure to dust, and higher ambient temperatures, as well as centralized electricity markets, as the factors altering the environmental performance profiles. The analysis finds considerable trade-offs: electrochemical batteries have high upstream material and manufacturing costs, and have better modular scalability; mechanical storage opportunities have low material sensitivity, but have space and geologic limitations; H 2 -based storage has the potential to be used over the long term, but is still energy- and water-intensive. The research ends with a set of policy implications concerning sustainable deployment plans in accordance with the long-term goal of decarbonization in GCC.