European energy storage subsidy policy adjustment

What does the European Commission say about energy storage?

The Commission adopted in March 2023 a list of recommendations to ensure greater deployment of energy storage, accompanied by a staff working document, providing an outlook of the EU’s current regulatory, market, and financing framework for storage and identifies barriers, opportunities and best practices for its development and deployment.

Is energy storage the key to decarbonising the EU energy system?

The Commission has published today a series of recommendations on energy storage, with concrete actions that EU countries can take to ensure its greater deployment. Analysis has shown that storage is key to decarbonising the EU energy system.

How much do energy subsidies cost in the EU?

Total energy subsidies in the EU rose from EUR 177 billion in 2015 to EUR 216 billion in 2021, to reach an estimated EUR 390 billion in 2022. The trend of decline in fossil fuel subsidies continued until 2021, when they were at EUR 56 billion, before increasing rapidly to an estimated EUR 123 billion in 2022 in response to the crisis.

Why should EU countries consider the 'consumer-producer' role of energy storage?

It addresses the most important issues contributing to the broader deployment of energy storage. EU countries should consider the double 'consumer-producer' role of storage by applying the EU electricity regulatory framework and by removing barriers, including avoiding double taxation and facilitating smooth permitting procedures.

What are ESS policies?

ESS policies have been proposed in some countries to support the renewable energy integration and grid stability. These policies are mostly concentrated around battery storage system, which is considered to be the fastest growing energy storage technology due to its efficiency, flexibility and rapidly decreasing cost.

How big will energy storage be in the EU in 2026?

Looking forward, the International Energy Agency (IEA) expects global installed storage capacity to expand by 56% in the next 5 years to reach over 270 GW by 2026. Different studies have analysed the likely future paths for the deployment of energy storage in the EU.