Trade association Energy Storage Europe (ESE) has welcomed proposed reforms to European Union (EU) grid connection and permitting processes.

The Ministry of the Environment in Poland has shortlisted projects for an energy storage capex support programme totalling 4.15 billion PLN (c.€1 billion), with 183 eligible to progress to the next round.

A trio of large-scale BESS announcements by major power firms of 700-800MWh capacity each in Germany show the country’s energy storage market moving into the new era of scale.

The recent introduction of 15-minute settlement periods across European power markets could result in significantly higher profits for battery storage asset operators.

Last month was the first time since June that both pre-application submissions and full planning consent submissions for grid-scale UK BESS surpassed 1GWh – just before NESO announced the results of its grid connection queue reshuffle.

NHOA Energy has secured contracts from Engie for an 80MW/320MWh BESS at Engie’s Drogenbos power station, near Brussels, Belgium.

Cell manufacturing overcapacity and intense competition contributed to an 8% decline in the average cost of lithium-ion battery packs, according to BloombergNEF.

In this Energy-Storage.news roundup, Energy Vault enters the Swiss energy storage market, ZincFive raises Series F financing, and Convergent Energy and Power secures a multimillion-dollar facility provided by NY Green Bank.

The UK’s National Energy System Operator (NESO) will offer grid connection offers up to 2035 to 283GW of projects following a reform of the process.

European energy independence is achievable if long-duration energy storage is factored into the mix, writes Oonagh O’Grady of Hydrostor.