EU Energy Ministers Back Grids Package as a Storage Agreement Targets 30 to 35 GW
At the EU Energy Council in Luxembourg on 26 June, 22 energy ministers adopted their position on the European grids package. The same day, a tripartite energy storage agreement was signed, aiming for 30 to 35 GW of new storage between 2026 and 2028.
What the Council agreed
The Council's page says ministers agreed a negotiating position on two files: a revision of the trans-European energy infrastructure regulation (TEN-E) and a directive to speed up permitting for energy infrastructure. The aims are better cross-border planning, faster permits and a more resilient network. The Council is now ready to negotiate the final text with the European Parliament.
This is a negotiating position, not a law. Nothing changes for households until the Parliament and Council agree a final version and member states apply it.
The storage agreement
SolarPower Europe says the agreement was signed by public authorities, the storage sector and large industrial energy users, and that its Battery Storage Europe Platform members signed as well. The target is 30 to 35 GW of new storage capacity from 2026 to 2028. The trade body puts installed storage at about 55 GW at the start of 2026.
We could not find the agreement's full text or any breakdown between home, commercial and grid-scale batteries, so we cannot say how much of the target is meant to come from household systems.
The industry's reaction
SolarPower Europe said the Council position falls short on digital permitting, clear connection timelines and developer transparency, and that it overlooks non-fossil flexibility such as storage and demand response. It also said it is unclear how the EU will reach the 2026 to 2028 target with current tools, and called for a dedicated Battery Storage Action Plan. It cites a longer-term goal of 200 GW of storage by 2030. These are the view of an industry body that represents storage developers.
What it means for households
Grid connection queues and permitting delays affect how fast new storage and solar can be added, so reforms here matter indirectly for the price and reliability of the system home batteries plug into. Our Europe market deep dive explains where household storage fits, and virtual power plants show one way home batteries can support the grid. For national rules, start with our Germany country guide.
Sources
- Council of the EU: Energy Council meeting, 26 June 2026
- SolarPower Europe: Energy Council sets direction on grids package as storage tripartite agreement is signed
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