(Los Angeles)

One of the most disruptive technologies in industry might not seem that disruptive—batteries. Yet advances in batteries are about to reshape many areas, not least of which is the power grid. Home energy storage and car battery power are two of the biggest areas of disruption, and investors need to understand the dynamics in play. Better batteries mean less energy costs as power can be stored to smooth out demand-based pricing. It also makes electric vehicles legitimate, and possibly cheaper competitors to gas vehicles. Additionally, improved energy storage makes renewables profitable.

FINSUM: Batteries are going to change the economics of almost everything related to power. Make sure you understand some of the key battles because share prices are going to start reflecting the changes.