The message is unambiguous: Europe must rapidly scale up energy system flexibility to meet its energy security, competitiveness and climate goals. With electricity demand forecast to rise by 50 percent by 2030, flexibility will be essential for integrating the accelerating growth of renewable generation, preventing grid congestion and curtailment, and balancing fluctuations in supply and demand.
Solar Investors Guide – storage for revolutionising the grid
Flexible solutions could deliver major benefits for Europe by 2030, including lowering electricity prices by up to 25 percent, saving around €130 billion in fossil fuel import costs, and preventing 151 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.
Three pillars for more flexibility
Despite these opportunities, the EU still lacks a coordinated strategy to unlock flexibility potential. The new recommendations set out a clear pathway based on three pillars:
- Prioritise flexibility in grid development
- Unlock the full potential of demand response
- Seize the opportunity to multiply EU battery storage capacity tenfold by 2030
Dutch grid resilience offers lessons for Europe
Dries Acke, Deputy CEO of SolarPower Europe: “It is clear to all that flexibility is the central challenge for Europe’s energy system. To integrate more renewables, protect consumers from price volatility and make the best use of our grids, Europe must plan and invest with flexibility in mind, scaling demand response and embracing the game-changing opportunity of affordable, high-performance battery storage.”
Today’s event and publication build on SolarPower Europe’s broader efforts to put energy flexibility at the centre of the EU energy transition. Since 2024, SolarPower Europe has led the Let’s Flex campaign, aiming to position flexibility at the top of the EU energy policy agenda. In July, these efforts expanded with the launch of the Battery Energy Storage Platform (BSEP), which advocates for a tenfold increase in battery storage by 2030. Today, SolarPower Europe also launched the BSEP LinkedIn page to further amplify this work. (hcn)
