Batteries and demand flexibility are ready to scale across the EU

The report argues that clean flexibility solutions are ready to scale across the EU to replace fossil-based grid balancing. It projects a fourfold increase in battery capacity by 2030, which would allow batteries to deliver over 80% of the power that all EU gas plants combined can generate in a single hour. Additionally, the report highlights the role of smart EV charging and heat pumps in absorbing surplus renewable generation and reducing peak demand, provided that regulatory barriers are removed and smart meter rollout is accelerated.

• The EU battery fleet is projected to grow from 37 GW in 2025 to 178 GW by 2030, a fourfold increase. This growth would enable batteries to deliver over 80% of the power that all EU gas power plants combined can generate in a single hour by 2030, compared to approximately 20% in 2025.
• Utility-scale batteries are expected to see the most significant growth, increasing nearly tenfold from 12 GW in 2025 to 107 GW by 2030. By 2030, utility-scale batteries are projected to provide short-term flexibility at a cost 20% lower than new gas peakers.
• Behind-the-meter batteries are projected to double by 2030, increasing the amount of daily rooftop solar generation shifted from midday peaks to evening hours from 9% in 2025 to 17% by 2030. In Germany, this shift could reach 25% by 2030, with installed capacity rising from 14 GW in 2025 to over 30 GW.
• Electric vehicles (EVs) could make up 16% of the EU road fleet by 2030 (39 million vehicles). Up to 50% of these EVs could be enabled for smart charging, potentially absorbing approximately 7% of peak wind and utility-scale solar generation.
• Heat pump installations could exceed 40 million by 2030. With supportive policies, 15% of heat pump demand could be shifted to periods of high renewable output, which could reduce EU peak demand by about 3%.
• The rollout of smart meters is uneven across the EU; while penetration exceeds 90% in Italy, France, and Spain, it remains low in other countries, such as Germany (5.5% by the end of 2025) and Romania (27%).

APA

Petrovich, B., & Geneletti, G. (2026). Batteries and demand flexibility are ready to scale across the EU. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2026/06/Batteries-and-demand-flexibility-are-ready-to-scale-across-the-EU-3.pdf

Chicago

Petrovich, Beatrice, and Gianluca Geneletti. Batteries and demand flexibility are ready to scale across the EU. Ember, 2026. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2026/06/Batteries-and-demand-flexibility-are-ready-to-scale-across-the-EU-3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Petrovich |first1=Beatrice |last2=Geneletti |first2=Gianluca |title=Batteries and demand flexibility are ready to scale across the EU |publisher=Ember |date=24 June 2026 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2026/06/Batteries-and-demand-flexibility-are-ready-to-scale-across-the-EU-3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{petrovich2026batteries, author = {Petrovich, Beatrice and Geneletti, Gianluca}, title = {{Batteries and demand flexibility are ready to scale across the EU}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2026/06/Batteries-and-demand-flexibility-are-ready-to-scale-across-the-EU-3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }