In an era where clean-power generation is almost taken for granted, the real battleground has shifted. The question today isn’t simply “how much renewable energy can we build?” but rather “how do we store it, move it, and keep it reliable?” For investors and corporate strategists, that shift means looking beyond solar panels and wind turbines to the infrastructure that makes the energy transition real and resilient.
At ICL Planet, we believe the smart bets now are in three interconnected domains: battery energy storage, green hydrogen, and grid resilience. Each offers a unique entry point, yet together they form the backbone of a net-zero power system. By backing configurable storage, long-duration molecules, and hardened grid infrastructure, you’re not just surfing a trend; you’re anchoring a transition. Here are the areas to focus on, and what they mean for investors.
Battery Energy Storage: The Short-Duration Workhorse
Battery energy storage is arguably the most accessible entry into the infrastructure side of the energy transition. As more renewables come online, their intermittent nature creates a growing gap for storage. In 2025, global energy investment is expected to hit a record US $3.3 trillion, with clean-energy technologies (renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, efficiency) receiving about US $2.2 trillion.
What does this mean for investors and corporates?
First: scale matters. The more renewables on the grid, the higher the value of flexible storage to absorb peaks and manage troughs.
Second: technology diversification. While lithium-ion remains dominant, next-generation chemistries (flow batteries, iron-air, sodium-ion) are stepping into the frame.
Third: business model innovation. Storage isn’t just “sell when prices are high”; it can also provide frequency regulation, grid services, and behind-the-meter value.
Let’s apply this practically. If you’re considering a storage investment, look for projects with multiple revenue streams, keeping supply chains local and modular, and that can scale operations and recycling.
At ICL Planet, we are looking for companies developing energy storage solutions, novel battery materials, and advanced safety and thermal management systems. In this evolving landscape, true value lies not only in hardware innovation but in how effectively technologies are orchestrated and integrated across the energy ecosystem.
Green Hydrogen: The Long-Duration & Hard-to-Abate Solution
While batteries address hours of flexibility, green hydrogen (and allied molecules) address weeks, seasons and industries that storage cannot easily tackle. Thanks to falling renewable-power costs and electrolyser advances, hydrogen is becoming investable, and it’s one of the most discussed yet under-deployed segments of the energy transition. The International Energy Agency in its Global Hydrogen Review 2025, reports more than 200 committed low-emission hydrogen production projects globally.
From an investor’s lens, the case for green hydrogen has three pillars.
First: demand in hard-to-abate sectors. Industries like steel, cement, heavy transport, and chemicals need something beyond electricity.
Second: infrastructure interdependence. Electrolysers, storage, pipelines and end-use applications form a chain with each link hireable or investable.
Third: optionality and scalability. A hydrogen asset today can pivot to different products (ammonia, e-fuels, storage) as markets evolve.
But caution is warranted. Cost reduction remains a challenge. A recent techno-economic study notes that green hydrogen will remain higher-cost than traditional alternatives until renewables and electrolysis scale further.
In practice, this means investors should favour synergistic systems, for example, co-locating renewables and electrolysers, working with policy-backed offtake agreements, and structuring exit clarity early. Ultimately, early-stage hydrogen innovations—from catalysts to full systems, are emerging as critical enablers for industrial decarbonization and long-term energy resilience.
Grid Resilience & Infrastructure: The Backbone of Scale
Even with great storage and hydrogen assets, none of it works if the grid can’t keep up. That’s why investing in grid resilience; transmission and distribution upgrades, smart controls, microgrids, and digital infrastructure is critical. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 transition analysis highlights that grid bottlenecks, not just generation gaps, are now a major barrier to deployment.
For investors, the grid is often viewed as “boring infrastructure,”; but in the transition era, it’s a strategic growth domain. Key takeaways:
- Modernisation is urgent: many grid components in advanced economies are past their design lifetimes.
- Digital resilience matters: cyber threats, climate shocks, and distributed generation require smart, redundant systems.
- Financing models are evolving: regulators and utilities are increasingly open to new asset classes (storage + grid + hydrogen) to unlock system value.
Thus, the opportunity isn’t simply wires and poles, it’s digital-enabled grid platforms that can integrate storage, hydrogen, EV charging, and consumer-side dispatch. When assessing grid-resilience investments, look for projects with scalable digital architecture, regulatory support, modular upgrade pathway,s and partnerships between utilities, tech providers, and entrepreneurs.
Corporate venture capital arms such as ICL Planet, Siemens Energy Ventures, Shell Ventures, GE Vernova, ABB Ventures, and EDP Ventures are actively exploring and supporting innovations in this space, ranging from real-time grid analytics to microgrid frameworks and smart infrastructure platforms.
Putting It All Together: A Holistic Portfolio Strategy
These three pillars, battery storage, green hydrogen, and grid infrastructure, should not be thought of in isolation. The strategic winners will design portfolios that span and integrate them. For example: a project with solar + battery + hydrogen + grid feed-in or a digital-platform play that manages all three asset types.
Here are practical steps for investors:
- Map your horizon: Batteries provide near-term returns and lower risk; hydrogen is more long-term/optionality; grid resilience sits in between with regulatory anchors.
- Balance stack exposure: Choose a mix of hardware (batteries, electrolysers), software (grid management, storage optimisation), and system (network upgrades, aggregation services).
- De-risk via partnerships: Work with corporates, utilitie,s and mature players to anchor offtake, grid access, and project viability.
- Monitor policy/regulation: Many of these markets are driven by subsidies, mandates, and regulatory changes; stay current.
- Track value chains: For example, battery success depends on materials supply, recycling; hydrogen depends on transport/storage. Integration matters.
At ICL Planet, we structure investments that combine early-stage deeptech innovation with industrial partners and asset-scale projects. That dual lens, deep tech plus infrastructure, allows us to capture upside while managing risk in a rapidly evolving ecosystem.
Why It Matters, And Why Now
The stakes are unmistakable. According to industry data, global energy investment is expected to hit $3.3 trillion in 2025, with a significant portion directed at storage and grid infrastructure. The investment clock is ticking: delays in storage, hydrogen or grid upgrades not only slow climate progress but create financial risks as stranded assets mount.
For corporate venturers, climate leaders and investors alike, this moment offers a rare convergence: robust macro tailwinds, technology ramp-up, regulatory impetus, and measurable impact. But it demands a shift from narrow plays (just renewables) to system-wide thinking.
At ICL Planet, we believe the future is built on what connects power and not just what generates it. Backing batteries, hydrogen, and grid resilience isn’t just smart, it’s necessary. The question is not if you should invest, but how you position to capture value while making a difference.
Let’s build that future together!
