Mechanical vs Chemical Storage – Which Has Lower Degradation?

As global investment in energy storage surges toward $217 billion by 2030, a critical dilemma emerges: Do mechanical storage systems outlast their chemical counterparts in real-world applications? Recent data from the U.S. Department of Energy reveals degradation rates vary wildly – from 0.5% to 15% annual capacity loss depending on technology. But what drives these differences, and can we truly compare apples to apples?