A flexible power network hinges on energy storage. But does the technology match the hype? Members of POWER-GEN Europe and Renewable Energy World Europe’s Advisory Board discuss the challenges facing the storage sector and the steps needed to overcome them, ahead of the conference and exhibition which will take place in Milan, 21 to 23 June 2016.
Roundtable participants:
Bernd von der Heide – Managing Director, Mehldau & Steinfath Umwelttechnik GmbH
Simon Hobday – Partner, Osborne Clarke LLP
Mathias Meusburger – Head of Excitation Department, Andritz Hydro GmbH
Fabien Roques – Senior Vice President, Compass Lexecon
What is needed to drive energy storage to the next stage?
Fabien Roques: Firstly, we need to ask what we are talking about when we discuss energy storage because there are so many different technologies and business models. We don’t know what the winning ones will be.
I think we need to put in place a market and regulatory framework that will remunerate flexibility in a fair way, and put in place a level playing field between different assets. This is what is really going to enable batteries and storage to find their footing in Europe’s energy market.
