During the plenary session of the European Parliament on Tuesday, 18 April, MEPs debated energy storage with Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson.
The majority of MEPs mentioned the crucial role that storage plays in having flexibility and energy security in the context of the transition to carbon neutrality.
Regarding the desire for massive development of solar and wind power on a European scale, MEP Jutta Paulus (Greens/EFA, German) stressed how volatile these energies are and how crucial storage is to system flexibility: “The first problem we will run into when ramping up renewable energy is not the famous [two weeks of dark days], but the first challenge will be how to sensibly use the renewable energy, which is oversupplying in times of little demand.”
MEP Patrizia Toia (S&D, Italian) explained that she “expects more from the [European] Commission”, wanting it to impose a common regulatory framework in this area “with the objective of creating an Energy Union”.
Seán Kelly (EPP, Irish) stressed the need for electricity market reform to take energy storage into account and called for the market framework to “match [...] with the expected future” technological developments.
Likewise, several MEPs stressed the importance of innovation and flexibility with regard to storage, citing the importance of not only developing batteries, a smart grid, and hydropumps but also encouraging low-carbon energies such as hydrogen or nuclear power to ensure energy security.
Consequently, many share the technology-neutral approach promoted by Commissioner Kadri Simson, who explained that we “will require all forms of low-carbon storage [...]” in future. She went on to state, “We need batteries, big and small; behind-the-meter storage solutions; thermal storage; or decentralised storage, like electricity stored in electric vehicles.”
With regard to the call for a common target for storage, the commissioner stated, “With the electricity market design proposal, we get very close to that. We proposed that, by 1 January 2025 and every two years thereafter, the regulatory authority of each Member State shall assess the need for flexibility in the electricity system for a period of at least five years.”
Finally, she stressed the role of Member States in setting indicative storage targets in order “to balance the verifiable supply with verifiable demand”. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)