The energy system in Europe is undergoing significant changes, and storage technologies are seen as key to its success.

The i-STENTORE project, funded by Europe Horizon, is a consortium consisting of partners from industry, research, and other institutions. Their goal is to closely examine storage technologies and facilitate their successful integration into the energy system. The EU project kick-off took place on January 30, 2023, in Athens.

Storage technologies as a key to the energy transition

The transformation of the energy system continues to progress, and the expansion of renewable energy sources leads to increased volatility in electricity supply. These fluctuations require greater flexibility in the overall system, which can be provided by storage technologies. Energy storage is not only used to balance generation fluctuations but can also serve as an active network component and market participant. This enables the provision of services for network resilience, stability, and efficient operation of energy supply. It becomes particularly interesting as deploying storage technologies in multiple markets can enhance their profitability. Furthermore, optimized grid operation can be ensured as individual storage systems can be made available to multiple grid participants.

Project objective and duration

Within the i-STENTORE project, technological and digital solutions for the multi-use application of energy storage technologies will be developed. Large-scale deployment of storage solutions in Europe will be examined through the use of demonstrators. Fraunhofer FIT is responsible for the scientific coordination of the project. Additionally, they contribute to a toolbox with improved legacy tools and applications, as well as systems for the optimal control of energy storage and other decentralized facilities. Fraunhofer FIT also takes a leading role in developing innovative business models for energy storage technologies and contributes to standardization activities for the shared use of data in energy storage systems.