Commodities
Home›Commodities›Energy Transition›Finland’s sand battery project aims to cut emissions w…
Finland’s sand battery project aims to cut emissions without rare earths
The article links Europe’s storage shortfall to grid and energy-market vulnerabilities, saying the EU still imports about 55% of total energy despite renewables supplying 44% of electricity.
Europe’s energy transition faces a storage gap that is leaving the grid and energy markets more vulnerable, according to OilPrice, as the region contends with a third energy crisis in four years and remains over-reliant on imported fossil fuels.
The piece cites Euronews to argue that without optimized storage, the EU stays dependent on imported fossil gas when solar output fades or winds weaken. It also notes that renewables provide 44% of EU electricity, while the bloc imports about 55% of its total energy, including oil and gas.
OilPrice adds that surplus renewable power during peak production hours has contributed to rising negative pricing on European energy markets, where utilities effectively pay consumers to take excess electricity.
The article further warns that volatility could increase, citing PV magazine’s view that Europe’s electricity markets may face greater volatility in the third quarter of 2026 due to weather and high solar output paired with limited flexibility resources, and it points to European Commission plans to expand storage capacity.