As part of its ongoing dissemination and knowledge exchange activities, the FREECOVER project participated in a webinar on “Battery Storage and Renewables” held on 26 March 2026, organised by Community Energy England and Low Carbon Hub.
The event was attended by Shariefah Darries from SITES, a partner in the FREECOVER project.
The Role of Batteries in Renewable Energy Systems
The webinar highlighted the increasing importance of battery storage systems in enabling a reliable and efficient renewable energy transition. As renewable energy sources such as solar power are inherently variable, battery storage plays a critical role in balancing supply and demand.
Speakers demonstrated how energy generated during peak solar production can be stored and later redistributed when demand is higher, ensuring a more stable and resilient energy system.
From Domestic to Grid-Scale Applications
Different types of battery systems were presented, including:
- Domestic storage systems, supporting household energy independence
- Co-located systems, integrated with solar farms
- Grid-scale storage solutions, enabling large-scale energy balancing
These systems are essential in supporting the transition toward decentralized and community-based energy models.
Supporting Community Energy Models
A key theme of the webinar was the role of community energy initiatives, where local stakeholders actively participate in renewable energy production and consumption.
Examples showed how community-owned solar projects combined with battery storage can:
- Improve energy access
- Increase local energy resilience
- Generate economic value for communities
Economic and Operational Benefits
Battery storage systems also contribute to optimizing energy markets by:
- Storing energy when supply exceeds demand
- Releasing energy during peak demand periods
- Reducing strain on electricity grids
- Supporting price stability
These benefits highlight the growing importance of integrating storage technologies within renewable energy systems.
Relevance to FREECOVER
The discussions are highly relevant to the FREECOVER project’s objectives, particularly in the context of sustainable resource use and circular economy approaches.
As battery technologies continue to expand, the need for efficient recycling and recovery of critical raw materials becomes increasingly important. FREECOVER contributes to this challenge by developing innovative and environmentally friendly recycling solutions.
Strengthening Knowledge Exchange
Participation in such events reflects FREECOVER’s commitment to:
- Monitoring emerging trends in energy and materials
- Strengthening links between research and real-world applications
- Promoting sustainable and circular solutions
The webinar reinforced the importance of combining renewable energy systems with advanced recycling technologies to support Europe’s green transition.
🔗 Event link:
https://communityenergyengland.org/events/battery-storage-and-renewables/
