The Energetic Cost of Grid-Scale Storage (IMAGE) Stanford University Caption Solar and wind power pose a challenge for the U.S. electrical grid, which lacks the capacity to store surplus clean electricity and deliver it on demand. Researchers are developing grid-scale storage batteries, but the fossil fuel required to build these technologies could negate some of the environmental benefits of new solar and wind farms, say Stanford scientists. Credit Eugene Water & Electric Board/NREL Usage Restrictions Photographs, videos and other images provided by the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford University are to be used - with appropriate credit - for editorial purposes only. Flopping, editing, altering or otherwise embellishing these images in any way that changes the images' editorial content is prohibited. Photographs and images provided for web use must be resized to low resolution. Permission is for one-time use only. Supplied photo/video/image file must be deleted after use. This image is supplied by the National Renewal Energy Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy (NREL/DOE). License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.