Wins for Energy Storage in the EU Grids Package

The European Commission's publication of the European Grids Package marks a major win for the energy storage sector. Energy storage is finally recognised as a unique and grid-friendly technological asset in the renewable energy sector. This will help developers to deploy projects and connect to the grid faster without unjustified economic barriers.

On Energy Storage Operators. The Guidance on Grid Connections recommends that “grid operators establish national cooperation” with “storage operators.” This explicit reference marks an important milestone: storage operators are now formally acknowledged as a distinct user group in an official EU grid document. This recognition opens the door to a clearer differentiation between storage operators, consumers and generators in future EU legislative frameworks.

Such differentiation is essential for developing cost-reflective taxation and grid-charging structures. Today, double-charging and disproportionate grid fees undermine project viability across Europe, and the Energy Storage Europe Association has long called for a modernised tariff design that reflects storage’s unique role in the system.

On Energy Storage as Grid-friendly Asset. The concept of grid-friendly uses also features prominently in the Guidance. The document notes that, when evaluating grid connection requests, Member States may give priority to grid-friendly uses (e.g. storage). Furthermore, it explicitly identifies co-located storage as a grid-friendly solution, highlighting its ability to alleviate congestion and support network efficiency. Recognising both stand-alone and co-located storage as grid-friendly is a crucial step forward for the sector’s strategic positioning with regards to grid connections in the European energy system.

On Overriding Public Interest. In parallel, the Directive on Accelerating Permitting introduces major improvements for storage deployment. Stand-alone electricity storage projects above 100 kW (excluding hydrogen) will now face a maximum permitting duration of six months, while pumped hydropower storage is subject to a maximum of two years. Importantly, the Directive establishes that storage assets benefit from a legal presumption of overriding public interest until climate neutrality is reached. This status strengthens legal certainty, reduces administrative barriers, and ensures that permit-granting focuses on the essential step—the grid connection request—rather than unrelated assessments.

Together, these measures represent significant progress for Europe’s energy storage community. After years of advocacy for clearer regulatory recognition, fairer grid charges and faster permitting and grid connection, the Commission has taken meaningful steps toward a modern, flexible and storage-ready energy system.