2024 has been a record year for energy storage deployment. Europe has reached 89 GW of installed energy storage capacity across technologies such as pumped hydro, electrochemical batteries and thermal systems. According to the latest European Market Monitor on Energy Storage (EMMES 9.0), published by LCP Delta and The European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE), this figure marks a turning point in the evolution of the continent’s power systems.

“We are witnessing how storage is becoming a structural component of the European power grid,” states Tom Smout, Head of Storage at LCP Delta. Of the total capacity, 53 GW come from pumped hydro, 35 GW from electrochemical storage, with the remainder from thermal and emerging solutions.

Public policy and the Clean Industrial Deal

The growth shows no signs of slowing. The report forecasts an additional 128 GW and 300 GWh of electrochemical storage by 2030. The EU’s Clean Industrial Deal, together with its updated state aid framework, will be instrumental in this expansion.

Jacopo Tosoni, Head of Policy at EASE, asserts that the new approach “goes beyond state aid: it’s a comprehensive package that reforms key aspects of the energy system”. The measures include support for non-fossil flexibility, capacity mechanisms and clean technology manufacturing — all with direct implications for storage deployment.

The new state aid framework, introduced in 2025, outlines schemes such as direct grants, investment support and competitive tenders, with tight implementation timelines. “We expect strong rollout from 2027, especially for technologies that meet emission thresholds and flexibility requirements,” Tosoni notes.

Residential storage: over one million battery-equipped homes

EMMES 9.0 also reveals that over one million homes in Europe are now equipped with batteries, within a broader base of 17 million solar households. This behind-the-meter (BtM) segment exceeded the forecasts of the previous report edition.

“We underestimated BtM installations by around 1.9 GW due to unexpected uptake in Germany and Italy,” admits Silvestros Vlachopoulos, Storage Research Manager at LCP Delta. Both countries have shown remarkable resilience in their residential markets despite subsidy reductions and economic headwinds.

According to Eibhilín Cadogan, Battery Research Lead at LCP Delta, the evolution of dynamic tariffs and changes in solar PV remuneration will generate stronger incentives in the long term, even though demand softened throughout 2024.

Last year, new installations led to a 60% MW/ 280% MWh increase in Front-of-the-Meter storage capacity. 

2030 outlook: aggressive scaling across all segments

The 2030 outlook foresees total energy storage capacity in Europe exceeding 160 GW, driven significantly by front-of-the-meter (FoM) installations. This segment experienced setbacks in 2024, particularly in the UK, where 1.1 GW worth of projects were delayed.

“On average, project duration increased from 1.5 to 2.5 hours in 2024, although we forecast a drop to 1.9 hours in 2025 due to market adjustments,” Cadogan explains. Nevertheless, a substantial expansion is anticipated towards 2030, driven by co-location with renewables and greater integration with ancillary service markets.

Battery projects co-located with renewable energy sources are gaining momentum. Installed capacity for hybrid projects is rapidly increasing, particularly those linked to solar and wind. “We expect robust growth in co-location with renewables through to 2030,” Vlachopoulos projects.

European storage inventory: official data from the JRC

According to the European energy storage inventory maintained by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, updated in Q1 2025, installed storage capacity now exceeds 91 GW, with over 4,000 installations across the continent.

Pumped hydro accounts for 90% of total energy volume, while batteries and emerging technologies are growing their share of installed power. Spain, Germany, Italy and Austria lead in installed capacity, both in large-scale projects and distributed solutions.

Regulatory momentum and market signals

The report concludes that energy storage will become a cornerstone of Europe’s energy transition. With new regulations, support schemes and increasing consumer participation, the sector is set to grow not only in size but also in sophistication.

“The initiatives discussed won’t have an immediate effect but will drive significant impact from 2027 onwards, unlocking new revenue streams, deeper market integration and stronger investment support,” Smout concludes.