This Friday Briefing looks at the battery manufacturing race that Europe and the US are set to get into, with both currently trailing far behind leader China.

Andy Colthorpe takes soundings from key energy storage market players on their predictions for the industry in 2024, following a year of significant progress in 2023.

FREYR Battery, which is targeting the battery storage sector with its product line, has received a €100 million (US$112.29 million) grant commitment.

Green Deal Industrial Plan has been welcomed by the European Association for Storage of Energy, although mentions of energy storage included in a leaked draft seen by the industry group were absent from the final publication.

A group of eight transmission system operators (TSOs) across Europe have launched a joint initiative to highlight and develop the role that the grid plays in enabling decarbonisation targets to be met.

The first pilot deployment of a large-scale electrochemical energy storage system (ESS) has been completed in the Ukraine, less than a year after system supply contracts were signed.

Lithium has been added to a list of raw materials deemed essential to secure supply in Europe, for the first time ever, by the European Commission.

Calls have been made across Europe for recognition and support for the vital role that energy storage can play in decarbonisation, reducing air pollution and contributing to a ‘green recovery’, both through legislation and industry sector activity.

Despite a subdued year in 2019 and a challenging start to 2020 caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the outlook for energy storage remains strong, says Julian Jansen of market research group IHS Markit, taking a deep dive across segments and geographies.