Energy storage is a crucial technology to provide the necessary flexibility, stability, and reliability for the energy system of the future. It's also important to ensuring security of supply and for advancing energy system integration and the electrification of the EU’s economy. Energy storage will help consumers to make the best choices and keep energy prices at affordable levels for both citizens and businesses.
System flexibility
System flexibility is particularly needed in the EU’s electricity system, where the share of renewable energy is estimated to reach around 69% by 2030 and 80% by 2050 (from 47% in 2024).
The need for flexibility in the electricity system will increase significantly in all EU countries, reaching 24% (288 TWh) of total EU electricity demand in 2030 and 30% (2 189 TWh) by 2050 across all timescales (from 11% in 2021).
The daily, weekly and monthly flexibility requirements should reach averages of 2.52 TWh/day, 14.6 TWh/week and 41.68 TWh/month by 2050.
On average across the EU, the overall flexibility requirements increase significantly when the share of renewable generation in the electricity system is above 74% of the total installed capacity.
Energy storage markets
Many European energy storage markets are growing strongly, with 4.9 GW (12.1 GWh) of utility-scale (front-of-the-meter) energy storage deployed in 2024, giving an estimated total of more than 13 GW.
Different studies have analysed the likely future paths for the deployment of energy storage in Europe. They point to more than 200 GW and 600 GW of energy storage capacity by 2030 and 2050 respectively (from roughly 89 GW in 2024, mainly in the form of pumped hydro storage). Compared to 2024, an additional 128GW/300GWh of electrochemical storage is expected to be added to European grids by 2030.
Global goals for energy storage
Looking forward, the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge, adopted at COP29 in 2024, reinforced the commitment of the G7 pledge on storage. It implies a 6-fold increase in global storage capacities by 2030, reaching 1 500 GW (including all forms of energy storage), meeting the expectations of the International Energy Agency (IEA).