There is now more installed energy storage capacity than nuclear in Europe, yet ‘no country has reached its potential’
energy-storage.news Jun 22, 2026

There is now more installed energy storage capacity than nuclear in Europe, yet ‘no country has reached its potential’

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Installed energy storage capacity in Europe has surpassed nuclear capacity, with a record 13.5GW/26.4GWh of new electrochemical energy storage deployed in 2025. Cumulative installs reached 102.7GW by the end of 2025, overtaking Europe's 105GW nuclear fleet in the second quarter of this year. Legacy pumped hydro energy storage accounts for around half of the installed capacity, while electrochemical storage, mostly lithium-ion batteries, makes up the rest. The European Market Monitor on Energy Storage report forecasts 153GW/485GWh of additional installs by 2030, revising its previous forecast upwards due to heightened market activity, with Germany, Italy, and the UK hosting over 10GW each.

💡 Why It Matters

  • · Energy storage's overtaking of nuclear capacity underscores a significant shift in Europe's energy landscape, driven by rapid growth in electrochemical storage.
  • · Heightened market activity is revising forecasts upwards, with significant implications for the continent's energy transition.