Europe Bets on Energy Storage in an Expanding Market

Energy storage is gaining weight in the energy transition and in Europe's industrial autonomy. According to SolarPower Europe, the European Union installed 27.1 GWh of new battery storage capacity in 2025, 45% more than the previous year, reaching a cumulative total of 77.3 GWh, with large-scale projects accounting for more than half of new installations. In 2025 Europe had 252 GWh of nominal cell manufacturing capacity, although mostly oriented toward electric vehicles rather than stationary storage, and the sector still depends significantly on foreign suppliers for materials and components. This has driven regulations such as the Net-Zero Industry Act and the Critical Raw Materials Act, as well as a 1 billion euro call under the Innovation Fund launched by the European Commission in 2024 to support battery cell manufacturing in Europe. In this context, thermal storage, flow batteries and other solutions for stationary, industrial or long-duration uses are gaining visibility, as these segments remain less mature and offer more room for new developments. This framework will be among the topics addressed at Battery & Energy Storage Tech Europe, to be held in Barcelona in September 2026, bringing together companies, technology centers and researchers from the sector.