Energy storage was one of the core topics at FES Iberia 2025, where key stakeholders from across the renewable energy value chain discussed strategies to meet Europe’s decarbonisation goals. In this context, José Irastorza, Business Development Director at Risen Energy, highlighted the urgent need for clear regulation and structured financial tools to scale up battery deployment across the continent.
“Clear rules of the game would be extremely helpful,” says Irastorza, referring to access to funding mechanisms such as FEDER. He warns of a persistent structural problem: “Even when we try to submit simple queries that require just a yes or no, the resulting uncertainty affects the entire value chain.”
From his perspective, the storage sector is technically ready, but deployment is stalled by administrative ambiguity and limited access to finance. “Once financing is in place, more players will join the market,” the executive points out.
Risen Energy’s Global Strategy and Industrial Capacity
Risen Energy began developing its storage division in 2018, focusing initially on markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Central Europe. To date, the company has completed over 4 GWh across 400 projects, with 15 GWh of annual battery manufacturing capacity and 45 GW in solar module production.
The firm prioritises integrated, efficient and adaptable energy solutions. “We no longer want to deliver sealed containers as-is, as they often oversize the solution,” Irastorza explains. Instead, Risen now provides modular, rack-based configurations, allowing for case-by-case adjustments without compromising safety or performance.
He also highlights the importance of their in-house control system: “Our Golden Shield platform manages the components inside the container, ensuring thermal stability with temperature variance under 3°C.”
Safety, Automation and Technical Efficiency
Risen’s solutions comply with top-tier international standards, including UL9540A—being the first Chinese integrator to achieve this certification. The company also meets industrial noise regulations, offering kits that ensure under 63 decibels at one metre, a key requirement for commercial and industrial environments.
Automation has been critical for maintaining cost-efficiency without compromising quality. “We’ve automated our lines to levels never seen before in module production,” Irastorza says. The workforce on the factory floor has been reduced to one-seventh of its previous size, and post-sales issues have become virtually nonexistent, he adds.
Financing, Insurance and Flexible Guarantees
While utility-scale storage still faces major bottlenecks, Irastorza notes that the commercial and industrial (C&I) segment is growing rapidly, though not without its own hurdles. “Insurance providers are still hesitant to underwrite certain risks for battery installations in industrial settings,” he explains, highlighting the need for enhanced product validation and confidence-building in the market.
To address this, Risen offers performance guarantees based on usage cycles rather than calendar years, allowing asset operators to adapt their revenue strategy. “If by year five the secondary market isn’t yielding the expected returns, clients can change their usage plan accordingly,” says Irastorza.
Cutting-edge Module Technology: Efficiency and Automation
Though the panel focused on storage, Irastorza also touched on Risen’s continued innovation in module manufacturing. “We are now delivering modules with over 23.5% efficiency,” he notes. The company recently certified a Tandem cell reaching 30.99% efficiency, which could enable modules exceeding 850 Wp once scaled to production.
This progress is underpinned by high levels of automation, which have helped reduce human error and optimise production flow. “Today’s manufacturing lines rely more on robotics than manual labour,” he states.
A Ready Market Waiting for Barriers to Fall
According to Irastorza, the project pipeline is extensive, and even partial execution would have a significant impact. “If just a tenth of the proposed projects are realised, we’ll already see a major market volume,” he forecasts.
However, for that to happen, regulatory reform and accessible financing must materialise. “Technological development cannot be separated from the regulatory and financial environment,” Irastorza concludes, calling on stakeholders to enable the growth of storage in step with Europe’s energy transition.
Revisit the discussion via Strategic Energy Corp’s YouTube channel
