Green energy isn't Europe's problem storage is

Germany and other European countries often generate more electricity from wind and sunshine than is needed during the day. Limited battery storage prevents saving that surplus for later, so natural gas power plants supply electricity after sunset. Achieving climate neutrality by 2045 requires large-scale storage to keep electricity prices stable and support a transition to 100% renewable energy. The EU generates about half of its electricity from renewables, while existing storage capacity totals roughly 14 GW. Expansion is accelerating, with 84 GW of additional storage in planning or construction. Lithium-ion battery costs have fallen about 20% annually, and EU forecasts expect costs to halve by 2030. Combined private and large-scale systems have increased EU storage capacity tenfold since 2022, but meeting climate goals requires roughly another tenfold increase to about 750 GW.

"Part of that rapid growth is down to sinking costs. Over the last few years, the price for lithium-ion batteries has dropped by about 20% every year. By 2030, according to an EU forecast, the cost for batteries is expected to fall by half, compared to 2022 prices. When smaller, private storage systems and large-scale facilities are put together, the capacity in the EU has increased tenfold since 2022. But to meet the bloc's climate goals, that figure would have to increase by another factor of 10, to around 750 GW."

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