A decarbonized grid, powered primarily by solar and wind, will require a lot of energy storage. Lithium-ion batteries, while the technology du jour, won't come close to solving the impending problem on their own.The long-duration energy storage dilemma is multi-pronged: today's market structures don't adequately reward energy storage of longer than four hours, and potential solutions are mired in technical challenges and steep capex costs.But one company may have cracked the code.Episode 45 of Factor This! features Robert Piconi, CEO of Energy Vault, a company well on its way to deploying long-duration gravity storage systems at scale.Energy Vault first made its splash with towering cranes lifting and lowering blocks under the guiding principles that have made pumped hydro the world's most significant energy storage resource.Now, with a redesigned concept, the company is deploying its systems in partnership with major players like Enel… and even landed a green hydrogen deal with Pacific Gas & Electric, California's largest utility.Can long-duration energy storage finally break through?We're just a few weeks out from the GridTECH Connect Forum being held in Newport Rhode, Island Oct. 23-25. Register today using promo code PODCAST at checkout to save 20% off admission. Join host developer Nexamp, and host utilities National Grid and Rhode Island Energy, for this groundbreaking event hyper-focused on DER interconnection in the Northeast.  You've heard me talk a lot about the GridTECH Connect Forum - Northeast event being held in Newport, Rhode Island Oct. 23-25. Well, registration is now LIVE. We're excited to partner with the DOE to bring together DER developers, utilities, and regulators around the critical issue of interconnection in the Northeast. Click here to register today.  The Factor This!  podcast is growing! We're adding a weekly climate and clean energy news roundup episode to the feed, co-hosted by John Engel and cleantech PR veteran Mike Casey.  Beginning July 21, "This Week in Cleantech" will give you all of the top stories in 15 minutes or less, and feature a leading journalist or market analyst to share the juice behind the headlines. Email story ideas and topics to ThisWeekinCleantech@tigercomm.us.