International status of energy storage

Which countries have increased energy storage capacity in 2024?

For example, the Spanish government approved an update to their National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan in September 2024 which has increased their installed energy storage capacity targets to 22.5 GW by 2030.

Should governments consider energy storage?

In the electricity sector, governments should consider energy storage, alongside other flexibility options such as demand response, power plant retrofits, or smart grids, as part of their long-term strategic plans, aligned with wind and solar PV capacity as well as grid capacity expansion plans.

How will energy storage affect global electricity demand?

Energy storage will play a significant role in maintaining the balance between supply and demand as global electricity demand more than doubles by mid-century. This growth in demand will be primarily met by renewable sources like wind and solar.

How big is battery storage in Europe?

(Source: IEA) In the European Union, total installed battery storage capacity rises from nearly 5 GW today to 14 GW in 2030 and almost 120 GW in 2050 in the STEPS, which achieves the agreed objectives, including reaching 32% of renewable energy by 2030, and fulfills all the National Energy and Climate Plans and major policies as of late 2022.

Why does the EU need a storage system?

The EU’s commitment to expanding renewable energy capacity is driving demand for storage systems to balance intermittent sources like wind and solar and the need to stabilize a continuously expanding grid.

Are battery energy storage systems the future of electricity?

In the electricity sector, battery energy storage systems emerge as one of the key solutions to provide flexibility to a power system that sees sharply rising flexibility needs, driven by the fast-rising share of variable renewables in the electricity mix.