Italian grid energy storage

Could Italy's grid-scale battery storage market see a massive expansion?

Grid-scale battery storage | Cameron Murray writes about the nascent market for large-scale battery storage in Italy, which could see a massive expansion in the short term. Italy’s grid-scale energy storage market: a sleeping dragon Render of a co-located battery storage project in Italy from Innovo Group. Credit: Innovo Storage smart power

Does Italy need electricity storage?

As Italy’s energy mix is increasingly composed of variable renewable energy sources, electricity storage will be needed to integrate power generated by renewables into the national grid and make it available when sun and wind energy are not accessible.

Does Italy need 9gw/71gwh of energy storage?

Italy’s TSO Terna says it needs 9GW/71GWh of energy storage by integrate its renewables pipeline. Image: Terna. The European Union (EU) Commission has approved a state aid scheme aiming to fund the rollout of over 9GW/71GWh of energy storage in Italy.

Are battery energy storage systems needed in Italy?

Therefore, battery energy storage systems (BESS) are needed in Italy. The Italian market for BESS is growing rapidly and currently amounts to 2.3 GW but it almost exclusively consists of residential scale systems, associated with small scale solar plants, having a capacity of less than 20 kWh.

What is the EU state aid scheme for energy storage in Italy?

The European Union (EU) Commission has approved a state aid scheme aiming to fund the rollout of over 9GW/71GWh of energy storage in Italy. The scheme totalling €17.7 billion (US$19.5 billion) will provide annual payments covering investment and operating costs for those developing, building and operating large-scale energy storage in Italy.

How will Italy develop utility-scale electricity storage facilities?

To develop utility-scale electricity storage facilities, the Italian Government set up a scheme that was approved by the European Commission at the end of 2023. Italy will promote investments in utility scale electricity storage to reach at least 70 GWh, and worth over Euro 17 bn, in the next ten years.