The EU should draw up a clear, shared strategy for energy storage to strengthen energy security and reduce dependence on imported fuels, the European Economic and Social Committee said in a new opinion.
The committee, an advisory body representing civil society, called on the European Commission to set out an EU-wide plan covering how energy storage is developed and funded, according to its statement released on Tuesday.
The opinion was adopted at the EESC’s July plenary session and drafted by Thomas Kattnig and Konstantinos Mousouroulis.
“Energy storage facilities are critical infrastructure — just as important as electricity grids or power plants,” Kattnig said.
The EU’s energy system is changing due to geopolitical, economic, climate and social factors, the EESC said, adding that Russia’s war against Ukraine exposed what it called structural weaknesses including dependence on fossil fuels, reliance on imports, ageing electricity grids and price volatility.
Oil and gas still dominate the EU’s “gross available energy”, and import dependency remains high, Mousouroulis stated.
What energy storage means for households and industry
Energy storage refers to technologies that store energy for later use, helping to balance supply and demand when output from renewables fluctuates. Wind and solar generation can vary by weather and time of day, and storing surplus electricity can reduce waste when generation is higher than demand, the EESC said.
It declared that the EU does not yet have an overarching energy storage strategy that brings together infrastructure and planning, market rules and industrial policy, and security considerations.
No single technology can meet all needs, so the Commission should promote a coordinated mix of different storage options suited to regional circumstances, the organisation said.
It also called for thermal storage and geothermal solutions to be treated on an equal footing with other storage technologies in EU law and funding, saying they are part of efforts to cut emissions from district heating.
The EESC said it wanted EU guidance on integrating storage into national energy and climate plans, rules on access to electricity grids for storage projects, a plan for sourcing “critical materials” used in technologies such as batteries, and measures covering battery maintenance, reuse and recycling.
It also urged steps to link storage with the digitalisation and cybersecurity of energy infrastructure, including resilience against cyberattacks and hybrid threats.
The EESC said market investment alone would not deliver the scale and type of storage needed in time, calling for public planning and funding tools and support from the European Investment Bank.
It also welcomed a Commission announcement that the scope of the National Escape Clause for defence spending could be broadened to help reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels, saying this could give member states more flexibility to invest in storage technology and green energy infrastructure.
