Energy storage is, in fact, a very traditional technical solution for driving up the efficiency of every energy network.
This old ‘trick’ of common sense is currently experiencing a revival as a key technology for the transformation of the energy system in the European to combat climate change in Europe. EU decision-makers have recognised the key role it can play, integrating it into the EU’s Clean Energy Package (CEP) in some critically important ways. These decision-makers will, prospectively, continue to regard energy storage as important system-integrating technology in the course of developing the EU’s own landmark Green Deal.
First and foremost, the CEP sets a steady foundation for the network integration of energy storage and the further growth of a market for energy storage that is open to all relevant technologies. That is to say: The CEP introduces a definition of energy storage valid for all EU Member States (see Footnote #1).
To date, there exists no precise and appropriate definition for energy storage in Germany. Our organisation, BVES, is the German industry association for energy storage systems. From the very beginning, the BVES has worked hard to see energy storage integrated as the “fourth column of the energy system”.
It’s one simple sentence to sum up the complexity of the otherwise absent definition of energy storage in the field of energy law in Germany – which again is generally a very complex set of legislature in its own right.
Production, consumption, transport – and now storage
Existing energy law in Germany refers to three columns of the energy system: production, consumption and transport. Energy storage is, therefore, by default, mostly (wrongfully) legally defined or described as “producer” or “consumer”.
One major effect of this is that energy storage systems are economically disadvantaged due to the so-called “double charges”, fees and/or taxes. This legal gap must finally be filled by 2021 at the latest, when the Clean Energy Package legislation needs to be implemented by all Member States – including a Europe-wide definition of energy storage.
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