Battery storage systems are becoming increasingly important for the energy transition and their deployment is surging. Since 2021, the installed capacity in the European Union (EU) has grown almost tenfold. According to SolarPower Europe, there was a 45 percent increase in 2025. This boom was mainly driven by large-scale storage systems. Meanwhile, commercial storage systems grew by 31 percent, though some of their potential still remains untapped. The main focus of ees Europe in 2026 is to explore the role of commercial storage systems in tomorrow’s energy system and how exactly they can be used to generate profit. Europe’s largest exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems will take place in Munich from June 23–25, 2026 as part of The smarter E Europe, Europe’s largest alliance of exhibitions for the energy industry. Companies will present their latest technologies and business models while industry professionals will gain insights into market trends, regulatory developments and concrete use cases. They will also have the opportunity to network with manufacturers, project developers, investors and utilities in person. More than 2,800 exhibitors and over 100,000 visitors from all over the world are expected to attend.
Further growth in storage systems for industry and commerce is expected in Europe, driven by rising energy costs and lower battery prices, which have dropped by 75 percent since 2010. The largest markets for commercial storage systems in Europe are Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. Commercial storage systems are part of the commercial and industrial (C&I) segment, with outputs ranging between 20 and 1,000 kilowatt hours. They provide flexibility and ensure a reliable energy supply, stabilize grids, reduce curtailments and electricity costs. This makes commercial storage systems particularly attractive to companies with a high power consumption and high peak loads. Typical clients include transport and logistics centers, airports, harbors, data centers, hospitals, universities, retailers, supermarkets, cottage industries and agricultural operations, as well as municipalities.
“We are only at the beginning of the battery age,” says Daniel Hannemann, CEO and co-founder of Tesvolt, a battery storage system provider. “Through peak shaving and other applications, commercial storage systems can achieve payback periods of less than four years. Companies can generate monthly revenues in the four- to six-digit range if they use their storage systems in energy trading. Storage systems should be viewed as financial assets that can be flexibly used for different applications. A reliable political framework that provides investment security is a key requirement for this.”
However, the lack of standardized rules, grid charges, and tariffs in the EU complicates planning and financing for developers and investors. Several countries already offer dynamic grid charges and flexible electricity prices. As of January 2025, all electricity suppliers in Germany have been required to offer dynamic electricity tariffs. Since April 2025, grid operators have been required to offer a module with variable grid charges and three tariff levels: low tariff (NT), standard tariff (ST) and high tariff (HT). The tariffs are based on grid utilization, and the time period for each tariff depends on the grid area.
Commercial storage systems are typically combined with a PV system to maximize cost reduction and make optimal use of the self-generated electricity. They are already worth their price on their own, though, because they can store electricity drawn from the grid. With the help of AI, companies can purchase and store the required energy when prices are low, for example, in the summer around noon. That way they help reduce the stress on the power grids while benefiting from low grid charges (sometimes dropping below one cent) and negative electricity prices, significantly reducing their overhead. Franz-Josef Feilmeier, CEO of Fenecon, a leading storage solution provider, has observed the growing trend of storing solar power from other suppliers rather than generating one’s own. “2026 will mark the first year of ‘storage-without-PV boom’,” he says. “Not because PV is bad. People should obviously continue to build PV systems wherever possible. But the combination of grid charges under module 3 (Section 14a of the German Energy Industry Act EnWG) that vary by time of day and quarter, very low NT prices and quarter-hourly dynamic electricity tariffs is a real boon for low-voltage commercial storage systems, including in locations where property or rental constraints, building structure, shading or small rooftops have previously limited the cost-effective use of PV. An energy management system based on the right time period and energy roadmap can make third-party solar power extremely cheap to use.”
Investing in commercial storage systems is worthwhile, even for cottage industries. On June 25, there will be an event at the ees Forum aimed directly at them. Attendees will learn all about regulatory reforms and discover best-practice examples and technological innovations from installation companies and manufacturers. New opportunities and markets will emerge for developers of large-scale storage systems, suppliers in the residential sector as well as for electric vehicle companies that want to integrate storage into charging infrastructure. How can they benefit from the trend towards commercial storage systems? This will be one of the main topics discussed at the exhibition and at the accompanying ees Europe Conference on June 22 and 23.