Position Paper
06 September 2022

Supply of energy – EU battery industry is a critical and essential industry ‎

Stability of energy supply, e.g. electricity and gas, and affordable energy cost are essential for the European battery ‎industry. ‎The current uncertainties of the supply situation and the recent price hikes for energy ‎jeopardise the efforts of the battery industry to support the energy transition by providing ‎storage solutions for various applications.‎

The battery industry is a critical manufacturing and/or essential industry that should remain in operation in case of energy curtailments. Automotive and industrial batteries are used in mobility, energy, storage, telecom and many other applications and provide a number of essential services for Europe’s 2050 decarbonisation objectives:

  • Provide energy storage services behind the meter, utility grid scale and off-grid,‎
  • Provide backup power to power station control systems,‎
  • Provide backup power to telecommunications equipment, data centers and internet ‎‎infrastructure,‎
  • Power the forklifts and other cargo handling equipment essential to supply chains for ‎food, ‎and medical services,‎
  • Are used for starting-lighting-ignition, as auxiliary batteries or traction batteries in hybrid and electric vehicles,
  •  Are integral to the operation of every bus and cargo truck, train, electric and ‎other ‎rail system for public transport and goods.

The loss or reduction of the availability of batteries for any of these critical applications could prove detrimental for the energy and mobility transition and decarbonisation that Europe has embarked on.

We hope that that the essential nature of automotive and industrial batteries will be considered by policy-makers when taking decisions towards a more resilient European energy supply.

Download the position paper here

EUROBAT is the leading association for European automotive and industrial battery manufacturers, covering all battery technologies, and has more than 50 members. The members and staff work with all policymakers, industry stakeholders, NGOs and media to highlight the important role batteries play for decarbonised mobility and energy systems as well as all other numerous applications.