Flexibility and intelligence to better integrate storage into the system

24.02.2025

Source: E & M powernews

A status conference held by the BVES storage association in Berlin focused on the benefits of flexible and intelligent batteries for the e-mobility charging infrastructure.

On February 20, the storage industry met in Berlin for the 2025 Status Conference, where participants argued for more than just building more charging infrastructure (LIS). As the number of stations increases, they need to become flexible, intelligent and powerful. This could be achieved through on-site storage and would better meet the challenges of growing electromobility. According to the panelists, a future-proof charging infrastructure does not need to wait for the faltering grid expansion.

Over 200 experts from business, politics and science met at the status conference. They discussed the technical prerequisites, regulatory requirements and necessary framework conditions for a future-proof charging infrastructure. The future of mobility is electric - and its success depends crucially on an efficient charging infrastructure, the conference concluded.

The participants were convinced that fast charging of vehicles is essential for consumers. However, this realization was met with bottlenecks in the large grid connections for charging hubs. These often take several years to install or are no longer available at all. Energy storage systems are the solution here, industry representatives appealed to politicians. They could be used to achieve high charging capacities even with a small grid connection.

The industry has already recognized this and is already combining charging stations with storage systems to enable fast charging or the simultaneous charging of several vehicles on a power-limited grid connection.

"Charging infrastructure with buffer storage is not a dream of the future - it is the reality of the mobility transition," said BVES President Thomas Speidel. He is also Managing Director of ADS-TEC Energy and reported on his own practical experience. Storage systems can be installed quickly and flexibly and offer a high charging capacity - regardless of the grid connection, he emphasized.

The flexibility of e-mobility itself also offers great, still largely undiscovered potential: The increasing use of storage makes it possible to intelligently integrate charging infrastructure into the energy system. This opens up new business models for operators of charging infrastructure, promotes sector coupling and enables more efficient use of renewable energies. This benefits the energy transition and ensures the economic and sustainable expansion of the charging infrastructure, according to the presentations.

"The electrification of mobility means that many players will be connected to the grid in the shortest possible time, especially in heavy goods traffic. To ensure that every player gets enough power, storage systems will also be needed in addition to the grid connections, because the grid expansion will not be able to meet all demand in time," explained Johannes Pallasch, Head of the National Charging Infrastructure Control Center.

The presentation by law firm Osborne Clarke explained the legal framework for charging points. According to the presentation, some federal states are already leading the way and presenting their own funding lines and strategies for the use of storage facilities. Such political signals are important and show the growing awareness of the role of energy storage. "But we need a holistic approach and the assurance of stable framework conditions at federal level," appealed speaker Alexander Dlouhy.

Conference demands for the mobility transition in the next legislative period:

• Speed up and simplify approval procedures for new charging hubs. Implementation often fails due to high bureaucratic hurdles for innovative system designs, for example with self-generation, storage and charging infrastructure.
• Facilitate energy storage legally and enshrine exemption from approval for storage in charging hubs in the state building regulations.
• Enable bidirectional charging. Especially in the fleet sector, there is enormous potential to make vehicle batteries usable for both the fleet operator and the grid.
• Drive forward sector coupling. Bringing electromobility and electricity supply together in regulatory terms so that renewable electricity is used in mobility.

Author: Susanne Harmsen