Define Energy Storage Systems as a Standalone Asset Class

WeStorix submitted Feedback on the European Grids Package Consultation in response to the European Commission’s call for evidence on the upcoming European Grids Package (initiative 14672):

Define Energy Storage Systems as a Standalone Asset Class

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are essential to Europe’s clean energy future, yet regulatory inconsistency continues to obstruct their deployment. In several EU Member States, including Denmark, BESS is ambiguously classified as a producer, consumer, or both – depending on the authority consulted. This legal and fiscal fragmentation creates investment friction, distorts market signals, tax mismatches and slows progress toward EU climate targets.

WeStorix recommends that the European Grids Package introduce a uniform, pan-European definition and formal recognition of Energy Storage Systems as a Standalone Infrastructure Asset Class, particularly when deployed within grid-connected Energy Campuses that unify BESS, renewables, and large industrial consumers. This setup enables local balancing, strengthens grid resiliency, and accelerates electrification – acting as the missing link between national grids and decentralized energy ecosystems. This clarity must apply consistently across all EU directives, network codes, tax codes, and investment frameworks. A clear EU-level definition will also reduce double charging, remove ambiguous licensing pathways, and support cross-border flexibility services – key implementation gaps identified in the Grid Action Plan.

Policy Objectives

1. Enable uniform regulatory classification of BESS across EU Member States.
2. Facilitate the development of Energy Campuses as decentralized, grid-connected infrastructure.
3. Integrate BESS as infrastructure into grid planning and funding mechanisms (e.g., TEN-E, CEF, ETS Innovation Fund).
4. Avoid double taxation and energy charges on storage operations, which are neither final consumption nor primary production.

Proposed Definition of BESS as a Standalone Asset Class

Energy Storage System as a Grid-Integrated Resilient Infrastructure Node (GRIN)

Definition: A Grid-Integrated Resilient Infrastructure Node (GRIN) is a standalone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) that serves as a multi-functional asset within a grid-connected Energy Campus. It provides real-time grid-forming services such as voltage and frequency control, synthetic inertia, and black-start capability; enables bidirectional, market-neutral energy exchange; acts as a synchronization hub between local renewable generation, large commercial and industrial (C&I) demand, and the national grid; and serves as a secure grid coupling interface through automated, back-feed-optimized infrastructure.

Use: GRIN-classified BESS assets are to be recognized as a new infrastructure category—neither producer nor consumer—but as critical system enablers that enhance grid flexibility, accelerate renewable integration, support industrial electrification, and enable decentralized resilience. They should be fully integrated into regulatory frameworks, transmission planning, and funding mechanisms as essential components of Europe’s decarbonized and digitized energy system.