Storage - SolarPower Europe

Solar and storage are a perfect partnership. Storage extends solar’s power beyond the time the sun is in the sky, allowing energy producers to use solar 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This opens up a whole new world of opportunities for solar, allowing solar technologies to be used to their full potential.

Battery energy storage is an affordable and convenient solution to match energy demand needs in an energy landscape with more and more renewables that are part of the electricity mix. The large deployment of variable renewable energy sources, like solar and wind, is paired with a strong growth of storage capacity, which will accompany the transition to a flexible and integrated energy system.

Self-consumption will be the driver for solar demand in the European Union; small-scale battery storage solutions will have a crucial role in expanding on-site consumption. At the same time, utility-scale battery storage will be increasingly used in providing additional services for stabilising the grid when using large amounts of flexible solar power. Moreover, solar and storage is the key to enabling a renewable baseload, while also reducing costs for networks. This will also lead to stable electricity prices and the empowerment of consumers and businesses.

Over 3 GWh of residential battery storage systems were installed across Europe by the end of 2020, with the annual market showing a strong growth in the range of over 50% year-by-year.

In Germany, over 60% of new residential solar PV systems are installed together with battery storage.

According to Bloomberg NEF, lithium-ion battery prices, which were above 1,100 USD per kilowatt-hour in 2010, have dropped by 89% to 137 USD per kWh in 2020.

As shown in SolarPower Europe’s 100% Renewable Europe study, batteries will provide the bulk of electricity storage in a renewable-based energy system, backing up about a quarter of gross European electricity demand.

The Storage workstream

The Solar & Storage workstream

The Solar and Storage workstream supports the establishment of a proper policy and regulatory framework for battery storage across the EU. To accomplish this, advocacy activities need to go hand in hand with communication actions to showcase its potential and highlight its central role in the future energy system. The workstream carries out activities to showcase the benefits and synergies provided by solar and storage and ensure that markets recognise their value; it disseminates knowledge on solar and storage through the publication of position papers, the drafting of factsheets busting myths about solar and storage, and the organisation of events. In addition, it engages with stakeholders and EU policymakers, facilitating dialogue to remove barriers on the way to a flexible, distributed, clean-powered and sustainable EU energy system.

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"By pairing solar with storage, the European Union can continue to increase the renewable penetration, while still being able to provide reliable, clean, and cost-effective energy to its all energy consumers during times of peak demand."

Marcus Müller - Tesla