More than €100 billion (around $116 billion) in renewable energy investments are awaiting grid connections across eight European countries, with around 830 gigawatts (GW) of wind, solar and battery storage projects stuck in local network queues, according to a report released Tuesday.
The report by consulting group AFRY, commissioned by climate campaign group Beyond Fossil Fuels, found that €100 billion worth of renewable energy and storage projects are waiting in distribution grid connection queues across Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain and Great Britain.
According to the report, distribution grids are expected to connect more than 70% of renewable energy projects by 2030. However, 375 GW of renewable energy projects and 455 GW of storage projects are currently waiting in connection queues.
The report said distribution system operators (DSOs) are struggling to connect new renewable and storage projects fast enough due to governance structures and capacity constraints, creating bottlenecks that prevent clean energy from reaching consumers.
It also identified distribution grid access as a major bottleneck for battery storage deployment, noting that battery queue capacity exceeds national targets by two to three times in almost every country analyzed.
Commenting on the report, Duygu Kutluay, Beyond Fossil Fuels campaigner, said growing connection queues are slowing renewable energy deployment and undermining Europe's competitiveness.
"As fossil fuels continue to fail us, distribution system operators need to keep up with the pace of the transition to cleaner energy to protect Europe's energy security and improve affordability for consumers," Kutluay said.
"Without governance and operational reforms, Europe's renewable potential will be stifled, not for lack of ambition or investment, but due to constraints in the very networks meant to deliver it," she added.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, more than 70% of renewable energy projects must be connected to electricity distribution grids by 2030 for Europe to achieve its energy transition goals.
Reporting by Nuran Erkul in London
Writing by Handan Kazanci
Anadolu Agency
