EU Updates Battery Regulation as Next-Gen Storage Tech Advances in Europe
The European Commission has published a new Delegated Regulation supplementing the EU Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542). The updated framework establishes stringent minimum limit values for the electrochemical performance and durability of rechargeable industrial batteries, signaling a mature approach to quality and safety in the energy storage sector.
New Standards for BESS Performance
The regulation introduces critical parameters such as capacity fade, expected lifetime, and energy round-trip efficiency, specifically targeting residential battery energy storage systems (BESS). Furthermore, it updates technical and safety parameters for stationary BESS, ensuring that large-scale installations meet rigorous operational standards to support grid reliability.
Sodium-Ion and Solid-State Innovations
Alongside regulatory advancements, next-generation storage technologies are rapidly progressing across the EU. Chinese battery manufacturer CATL and German integrator Intilion have signed a five-year agreement to jointly develop up to 3 GWh of sodium-ion BESS projects in the DACH region (Germany and Austria). CATL’s TENER Sodium system, unveiled in Munich, boasts a round-trip efficiency exceeding 96.5% and over 15,000 charge-discharge cycles.
The shift towards sodium-ion and solid-state technologies represents a crucial diversification strategy for the European storage market, reducing reliance on traditional lithium-ion supply chains.
In Germany, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft recently opened a new €49.85 million research building for the Centre for Energy Storage and Systems (ZESS) in Braunschweig. The 3,300 sqm facility focuses on solid-state batteries and hydrogen technologies, including the POWERPASTE chemical hydrogen storage medium for PEM fuel cells. Funded by the federal government and Lower Saxony, the project aligns with Germany's Hightech Agenda to build a competitive, circular battery and hydrogen economy in Europe.
Source: Product Compliance Institute / PV Magazine / Renewable Energy Industry
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