The total power storage capacity available in Germany could grow immensely over the next decade, the German government says. In a response to a parliamentary inquiry by the pro-business FDP, the government said that the combined capacity of pumped-hydro storages, big batteries, home storage systems and power-to-gas facilities could rise from the current 0.42 gigawatts (GW) to more than 24 GW by 2030. The national grid agency, BNetzA, already factored in more storage capacity in its network planning but according to the government, the increasingly popular home systems for solar power storage will not necessarily contribute to more flexibility in the grid. If stored power is primarily used for optimizing the supply of individual homes, it cannot be used by grid operators to improve grid management.
Improving power storage capacity is seen as vital to ensure a smooth expansion of Germany’s renewable energy sources and a parallel phaseout of nuclear and coal power. Storing renewable energy would provide sufficient electricity even at times of little sunshine and wind.