Because the photo voltaic wave sweeps throughout Europe, creaking grids spotlight the continent’s urgent want for power storage.
From pv journal 06/23
In winter, for the primary time, renewables within the EU generated extra electrical energy than fossil gasoline power sources, with a 40% share of the power combine. The excessive price of fossil gasoline imports and the necessity for power independence following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are calling for a serious overhaul of the EU’s power system. One factor is evident: Photo voltaic and renewables can energy Europe all the time. That is solely doable with a powerful and versatile power infrastructure.
Worryingly, there are growing stories of photo voltaic being suppressed. Czechia needed to shut down a number of photo voltaic vegetation in April as a consequence of sunny climate. Equally, Poland’s grid operator not too long ago declared an official “risk” to energy provides as a consequence of an power surplus concern. Throughout Europe, builders and system operators are warning that, more and more, the grid can not deal with the low-cost sustainable power generated by the photo voltaic growth.
Failure to improve the grid and maximize flexibility borders on self-sabotage. In an power 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 critically saving power, 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 power storage will need to have an lively power switch part. An instance is photo voltaic with co-located power storage. Such hybrid techniques can play an essential function in assembly the flexibleness necessities of a decarbonized, decentralized power system. Extra importantly, these techniques have the power to retailer each drop of additional power 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 similar to power 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 power for all Europeans” bundle, little progress has been made in Europe up to now. Some areas, similar to the USA, prioritize the deployment of flexibility.
Thankfully, constructive indicators are on the horizon. The EU’s proposal to vary the design of its electrical energy market reveals the present potential, with proposed new instruments aimed toward growing non-fossil gasoline flexibility options together with power storage. These services are supposed to alleviate strain on the grid, ship 24/7 photo voltaic, and assist power storage house owners see a return on their funding.
New coalition
SolarPower Europe is a founding accomplice of the not too long ago launched Power Storage Coalition, a brand new group working to extend storage capability throughout Europe and promote clear power storage options as a part of the general -the power transition in Europe. Throughout the current coalition launch occasion, EU Power Commissioner Kadri Simson particularly emphasised that power storage is the important thing to constructing a future-proof, sustainable, and decarbonized system of power. The options are clear: if we need 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 power storage capability. The nation additionally not too long ago launched a €200 million solar-plus-battery subsidy scheme for small storage techniques and photo voltaic initiatives within the agricultural and residential markets.
If there’s one factor we are able to take away from final yr, it is that renewable power sources together with photo voltaic are the longer term. Fossil fuels are a factor of the previous. Renewable electrical energy has confirmed that it will possibly face up to the power disaster and we are able to anticipate that the share of electrical energy generated by renewable power will enhance yearly.
To make sure the continent’s power safety, Europe’s power storage potential have to be critically thought of and realized. Renewables can totally energy Europe with a powerful and versatile grid infrastructure. Let’s begin future proofing our grids by investing in power storage and different flexibility options similar to demand response, and keep away from losing any photo voltaic radiation.
Concerning the writer: Walburga Hemetsberger working in Brussels for over 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.
The views and opinions expressed on this article are these of the writer, and don’t essentially replicate these held by pv journal.
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