Commission Recommendation on Energy Storage – Underpinning a decarbonised and secure EU energy system

Summary:

Recommendation adopted by the European Commission on 14 March 2023, concerning the advancement of energy storage innovation, technologies, and capacities.

Further information:

The energy system of the European Union (EU) has been undergoing significant changes to address the energy crisis and the wider targets to tackle climate change. The transformation is characterised by improved energy efficiency, massive and rapid deployment of variable renewable energy generation, more players, more decentralised, digitised and interconnected systems and increased electrification of the economy. These changes also require more flexibility from the energy system to adapt to changing grid needs and manage variability and uncertainty of supply and demand.

Different technologies can provide the energy system with the necessary flexibility, such as energy storage, demand response, supply-side flexibility and interconnections. In particular, different energy storage technologies can provide diverse services on different scales and at different timeframes. In addition, energy storage technologies can be a technical solution to provide stability and reliability. Directive (EU) 2019/944 addresses the participation of energy storage in the electricity market, including the provision of flexibility services on a level playing field with other energy resources.

This Recommendation highlights to EU Member States the importance of energy storage to addressing the main challenges of the energy system, and the need to incentivise innovation, technologies and capacities. It was adopted by the European Commission on 14 March 2023 as part of a legislative package seeking to reform the EU's electricity market design, and published in the Official Journal on 20 March 2023.

Official

EUR-LEX: SWD(2023)57: Staff Working Document accompanying the Commission Recommendation - Energy Storage - Underpinning a decarbonised and secure EU energy system https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2023:57:FIN

European Commission: Press Release, 14/03/2023: Commission proposes reform of the EU electricity market design to boost renewables, better protect consumers and enhance industrial competitiveness https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_1591

European Commission: Questions and Answers on the revision of the EU's internal electricity market design (14 March 2023) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_23_1593

European Commission: Opening remarks by Commissioner Simson at the press conference on the reform of the EU's electricity market design (14 March 2023) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_23_1658

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