ETIP SNET Working Group 2 members, Pedro Rodriguez Cortes, Franco Di Persio, Julie Horn, Pio Alessandro, Vito Ponzo, Lorena Elorza, Alexandre Lucas, and Mohamed Bahloul Lombardi, have developed a publication in the context of CIGRE 2026, focusing on the role of District Energy Storage Systems (DESS) in future power systems, developed from the District Storage Paper.
The publication identifies DESS as a critical enabling technology for achieving deep decarbonisation, enhancing grid stability and reliability, and strengthening energy resilience at the local level. Scaling DESS deployment from pilot projects to industrial applications requires a coordinated, multi-dimensional approach that addresses financial, regulatory, technical, and societal challenges simultaneously.
The work emphasises that the transition towards a decentralised, renewable-based energy system depends on the effective integration of district-level storage solutions. To enable large-scale adoption, a joined-up strategy across policy, finance, technology, and society is essential.
The publication concludes that District Energy Storage Systems (DESS) are a cornerstone of a flexible, low-carbon, and resilient European energy system. By enabling the efficient sharing of energy across electricity, heating, cooling, and mobility at the local level, DESS can reduce system costs, limit renewable curtailment, and support grid stability. The work highlights the need for coherent policies, clear regulatory frameworks, accessible markets, digital system management, and active stakeholder and community engagement to unlock large-scale deployment and fully realise the contribution of district storage to EU climate and energy objectives.
This publication reflects ETIP SNET WG2’s contribution to international discussions on storage, flexibility, and the evolution of power systems in view of CIGRE 2026.
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