EES Storage & IBESA Summit France 2018: Industry Setting the Course for the Energy Future

The ees & IBESA Summit France 2018 will bring the battery and energy storage system industries together in Strasbourg. The one-day conference provides an opportunity for all relevant stakeholders in the energy storage industry to exchange knowledge and ideas about crucial topics for the future. Just like the photovoltaics (PV) industry of the 1990s, the market for storage systems is now also radically changing – and it is only becoming more international. That is why it is essential for everyone involved in the industry to network via a common platform, so they can learn from each other, develop visions for the future and correct undesirable developments early. That will ensure quality and reliability for tomorrow.

The market for storage systems is booming. It has tripled in recent years in Germany alone, where already more than 100,000 solar storage systems have been installed, and there is no end in sight. The annual worldwide installation rate of stationary storage devices will increase significantly by 2030 -Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts a capacity of 125 GW with a storage volume of 305 GWh. The combination of photovoltaics and storage systems is proving to be promising, including for the French market. In France, companies which install solar systems are now using their distribution channels for storage systems, too. According to EuPD Research, 68 percent of them were already offering battery storage systems in 2016. The trend is catching on. It is accompanied by a shift from direct to indirect purchasing, with the new target group being distributors and wholesalers.

Shining a light on the French storage market

The French government plans to raise the share of renewable energies in the country’s power supply – by 2025, nuclear energy should be reduced from 75 percent to 50 percent of the energy mix. Massive investments are necessary for this plan to work, including in the area of smart metering as well as for efficient transmission and distribution of electricity, and electrical energy storage is crucial.

Strasbourg serves as precisely the right meeting point. On October 24, the ees & IBESA Summit France will take on the challenges and opportunities existing in the French and the wider European energy storage market. It will also put current political, technological and market-related issues in the spotlight.

Visitors can expect a high-quality program. One of many highlights is a session about the revolution in energy storage media in Europe. A range of relevant topics are on the docket here and speakers will address such topics as the underlying political conditions, the economic climate and technical advances. Another session is focused on developments in the industry and the current status of research. This includes blockchain and the question of whether virtual power plants are the future of the industry. A third session will present business models and best practices. Among other topics, it will look at how energy storage systems have changed the energy supply in stand-alone systems and what advantages energy management systems offer for residential properties.

"With falling costs and rising capacity, the range of economical applications for battery storage systems is growing. There are many opportunities for Europe to take on a leading role in this transitional period," says Pablo Ralon, Associate Program Officer, Renewable Energy Cost Status & Outlook of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). "The summit is taking place at exactly the right time. Interest in renewable energies is now growing in France, as are investment plans for storage solutions. Balancing the public grid and connecting vehicles to the power grid are also focal points," adds Louis-Narito Harada of Eversheds Sutherland.

Expanding the EU market and developing new business models

At the ees & IBESA Summit France, the industry will not only sketch out joint visions of how the storage market should function in the future, but will also consider the expansion of the EU market and the development of new business models. Ultimately, the industry meeting point will serve to further drive the transnational discussion on the expansion of storage technologies.

The event’s organizers are Solar Promotion International GmbH, the International Battery & Energy Storage Alliance (IBESA) and Freiburg Management und Marketing International GmbH (FMMI).

Trion-Climate e.V. is a co-organizer.

The ees & IBESA Summit France 2018 is made possible by a range of high-profile sponsors. The organizers would like to thank Hager Electro GmbH & Co. KG, SOCOMEC and Sonnen GmbH for their support.

The ees & IBESA Summit France 2018 will take place in Strasbourg on October 24, 2018.

For more information, please visit: www.ees-summit.com/france

About the organizers

International Battery & Energy Storage Alliance (IBESA)

The International Battery and Energy Storage Alliance IBESA is the first international network of excellence in the field of battery and energy storage that enables an international and practice-oriented transfer of knowledge. Founded in 2013 IBESA is still well on track regarding emerging markets around the world and is now coming up with an updated concept to satisfy the actual requirements of our Partners.
IBESA offers a worldwide network, contacts along the value chain of different business sectors, exclusive high-quality market research know-how as well as the complete marketing and public relation package – based on a long experience in business.

Solar Promotion International GmbH

Solar Promotion GmbH and its subsidiary Solar Promotion International GmbH organize global exhibitions and conferences in the fields of renewable energies and energy efficiency. The portfolio includes events for the areas of photovoltaics, PV production technologies, energy storage, smart renewable energy, solar thermal technologies, solar architecture, energy efficient buildings and the use of biomass in power generation.
ees Europe is one of these events and the continent’s largest, most-attended and most international exhibition for the battery and energy storage industry. It serves as an industry platform, bringing together manufacturers, distributors, users and suppliers of electricity storage systems, and takes place annually in Munich, Germany. 

Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH (FMMI)

Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH (FMMI) is owned and operated by the City of Freiburg and founded with the aim of promoting international cooperatives and organizing trade exhibitions and conferences relating to the economy, tourism, the environment and international city partnerships, at the behest of the City of Freiburg. “Green City” Freiburg” is marketed worldwide to describe Freiburg’s decades of expertise in solar technology, renewable energies and sustainable urban and traffic planning. FMMI’s international activities strengthen and promote Freiburg as an economic hub.