SolarPower Europe published its report 'Flexibility: Strengthening the Grid with Battery Storage and Demand Response' and hosted the Flexibility Strategy Day, attended by EU policymakers, regulators, system operators, and solar and storage industry representatives. The organization calls for a comprehensive EU Flexibility Strategy to accelerate the energy transition and strengthen grid resilience through demand response and battery storage.

The report notes that electricity demand in Europe is expected to increase by 50% by 2030, making flexibility necessary to integrate renewable generation, avoid congestion, and balance supply and demand. According to the study, flexible solutions could reduce electricity prices by up to 25%, save €130 billion in avoided fossil fuel imports, and prevent 151 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.

SolarPower Europe’s recommendations focus on three main pillars:

1. Flexibility-first approach to grid development – Integrate flexibility into grid planning, reward system operators for efficiency, enhance transparency with grid hosting maps, prioritize flexible assets in connection queues, and design tariffs to incentivize flexible solutions.

2. Unlocking demand response potential – Treat demand response equally to supply in all electricity markets, harmonize technical requirements, enable households and businesses to respond to price signals with dynamic contracts and smart devices, and support industrial electrification policies that reward flexibility.

3. Embracing battery storage opportunities – Simplify permitting for retrofitting battery storage, ensure grid tariffs reflect system value, procure grid-forming services from batteries, support European production and partnerships, harmonize safety and quality standards, and implement circularity policies for critical raw materials.

Dries Acke, Deputy CEO of SolarPower Europe, said that “flexibility is key to integrating renewables, protecting consumers from price volatility, and optimizing grids. Investment and planning must prioritize flexible solutions, scaling demand response and embracing high-performing battery storage.”

Catarina Augusto, Head of System Integration and lead author of the report, added: “Europe needs a coherent roadmap to integrate flexibility at all levels. Unlocking demand response requires that households, businesses, and industry have fair access to energy markets and are rewarded for their participation. Alongside scaling battery storage, these steps are essential. That is why we are calling for an EU Flexibility Strategy supported by a Battery Storage Action Plan, so policymakers can act now to future-proof the energy system.”