ESGC 2020

The fourth Energy Storage Global Conference took place on 19 – 21 October 2021 for the first time as a hybrid event, in-person at the Hotel Le Plaza in Brussels and online. The event was organised by EASE – The European Association for Storage of Energy, with the support of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

The event gathered 350 participants including top-level European energy professionals and representatives from European Institutions. Representing utilities, DSOs, TSOs, suppliers, consultancies, the research community, policymakers, and National Regulatory Authorities, 130 speakers shared inputs on their activities in the energy storage sector. The ESGC 2021 gained support from 5 sponsors – EDF, CellCube, Iberdrola, NGK and Uniper; there were 11 exhibitors, all-together, engaging with participants in virtual and on-site booths.

Representatives from around the world came together for three days to discuss the latest developments on energy storage technologies, regulatory and policy frameworks, and the future energy storage market. Mr. Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, opened the conference highlighting that energy storage will be a crucial enabler for achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

• The first day continued with an overview on how energy storage markets are evolving. Speakers and attendees discussed investments trends, new revenue streams and emerging business models and applications.
• The second day of the conference provided insights into policy and regulations affecting energy storage. Ms Paula Pinho, Director of the Just Transition, Consumers, Energy Efficiency and Innovation Directorate at the European Commission, stressed how energy storage is central for the achievement of the EU Green Deal and EU’s decarbonisation objectives.
• Lastly, the third day focused on energy storage technologies and the importance of competitive, green and safe solutions. Participants were able to discuss innovative energy storage technologies. The value of storage not only for flexibility, but importantly its role in energy shifting, resilience, reliability and capacity provision to the energy system was a key takeaway.

This edition of the Energy Storage Global Conference provided valuable insights on energy storage and showcased itself as a leading event for the industry giving access to current knowledge and fantastic contacts in the field. Moreover, it was an honour to celebrate EASE’s ten-year anniversary and work achieved during this time.