Because the photo voltaic wave sweeps throughout Europe, creaking grids spotlight the continent’s urgent want for vitality storage.
From pv journal 06/23
In winter, for the primary time, renewables within the EU generated extra electrical energy than fossil gasoline vitality sources, with a 40% share of the vitality combine. The excessive value of fossil gasoline imports and the necessity for vitality independence after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine name for main modifications within the EU’s vitality system. One factor is obvious: Photo voltaic and renewables can energy Europe all the time. That is solely doable with a powerful and versatile vitality infrastructure.
Worryingly, there are growing studies of photo voltaic being suppressed. Czechia needed to shut down a number of photo voltaic vegetation in April resulting from sunny climate. Equally, Poland’s grid operator not too long ago declared an official “risk” to energy provides resulting from an vitality surplus subject. Throughout Europe, builders and system operators are warning that, more and more, the grid can not deal with the low-cost sustainable vitality generated by the photo voltaic increase.
Failure to improve the grid and maximize flexibility borders on self-sabotage. In an vitality and local weather disaster, we can not afford to waste an electron of renewable electrical energy in favor of polluting fossil fuels. We have to begin significantly saving vitality, easing grid constraints, and making ready Europe’s electrical energy networks for the photo voltaic age.
Paper for storage
Flexibility options together with demand response and vitality storage will need to have an lively vitality switch element. An instance is photo voltaic with co-located vitality storage. Such hybrid methods can play an necessary position in assembly the pliability necessities of a decarbonized, decentralized vitality system. Extra importantly, these methods have the flexibility to retailer each drop of additional vitality produced by the photo voltaic panels to ease the grid in occasions of strain.
Lastly, EU international locations ought to begin totally implementing flexibility options akin to vitality storage to organize the grid within the quick and long run. Regardless of the wonderful proposals for regulatory frameworks outlined in 2019, within the “Clear vitality for all Europeans” bundle, little progress has been made in Europe up to now. Some areas, akin to the USA, prioritize the deployment of flexibility.
Fortuitously, constructive indicators are on the horizon. The EU’s proposal to alter the design of its electrical energy market reveals the present potential, with proposed new instruments geared toward growing non-fossil gasoline flexibility options together with vitality storage. These amenities are meant to alleviate strain on the grid, ship 24/7 photo voltaic, and assist vitality storage homeowners see a return on their funding.
New coalition
SolarPower Europe is a founding accomplice of the not too long ago launched Vitality Storage Coalition, a brand new group working to extend storage capability throughout Europe and promote clear vitality storage options as a part of the general -the vitality transition in Europe. In the course of the current occasion to launch the coalition, EU Vitality Commissioner Kadri Simson particularly emphasised that vitality storage is the important thing to constructing a future-proof, sustainable, and decarbonized vitality system. vitality. The options are clear: if we wish to keep away from future grid shutdowns, Europe must put money into storage capability.
We will look to international locations like Greece for inspiration; the Athens authorities will spend €341 million ($370 million) to extend vitality storage capability. The nation additionally not too long ago launched a €200 million solar-plus-battery subsidy scheme for small storage methods and photo voltaic initiatives within the agricultural and residential markets.
If there’s one factor we will take away from final yr, it is that renewable vitality sources together with photo voltaic are the longer term. Fossil fuels are a factor of the previous. Renewable electrical energy has confirmed that it may well stand up to the vitality disaster and we will anticipate that the share of electrical energy generated by renewable vitality will improve yearly.
To make sure the continent’s vitality safety, Europe’s vitality storage potential should be significantly thought-about and realized. Renewables can totally energy Europe with a powerful and versatile grid infrastructure. Let’s begin future proofing our grids by investing in vitality storage and different flexibility options like demand response, and keep away from losing any photo voltaic radiation.
In regards to the creator: Walburga Hemetsberger working in Brussels for greater than 18 years. Earlier than becoming a member of SolarPower Europe as CEO in 2019, Hemetsberger headed the Verbund Illustration Workplace in Brussels and was a board member of Hydrogen Europe. His earlier expertise consists of roles as head of the EU Illustration Workplace on the Verbund for 9 years, monetary and capital market advisor at The Affiliation of German Public Banks and Affiliation of Public Banks, and competitors lawyer at Haarmann Hemmelrath.
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