12 Dec The European Association for Storage of Energy

Challenge

In 2009, the European Commission had an initiative looking for a consensual vision of the roles, technologies and potential applications of energy storage within the frame of EU Energy and Climate policy. A Task Force launched by the European Commission in 2009 and as the results of the final workshop, a group of European leading players in the energy sector, a diverse group of 13 companies and organisations, after trying one year without success due to a small overall budget approached CLERENS with the idea of establishing an industry association to represent the nascent energy storage sector.

The main goal was to build a platform for sharing and disseminating knowledge and information in order to provide a reference frame for state-of-the-art technologies, applications and know-how, available to internal and external stakeholders.

Solution

Given the little available budget and different energy storage technologies and interests represented by the founding members, this was no easy task. However, within a few short months, CLERENS was able to co-invest with EASE, propose a governing framework and key principles that led to the establishment of EASE – the European Association for Storage of Energy.

CLERENS defined the concept of the association, defined statutes and legal registration under Belgian law, kick-started the activities by putting together a membership base and developed a membership growth strategy. CLERENS selected the secretariat personnel and still manages them. CLERENS gives administrative and financial support to EASE as well as governance and members management. Defined and implemented advocacy and lobbying strategies. Supported events, communications, and public affairs, network building and stakeholder engagement.

Result

From 13 companies, the Association has grown to over 50 companies including utilities, technology suppliers, research institutes, distribution system operators, and transmission system operators by end-2019, becoming the leading association in Brussels representing the diverse and innovative energy storage sector towards policymakers and the public.

CLERENS provides EASE with a still-growing database of 500 contacts as potential members and manages those contacts. CLERENS organises Energy Storage Global Conference for EASE every 2 years with over 300 participants as well as many workshops on the hot topics in the energy storage industry. EASE provides valuable resources on energy storage for businesses and investors interested in the energy storage sector with European Market Monitor on Energy Storage (EMMES) that EASE prepares with Delta-e.

EASE participates in EU funded research projects and advocates for increased EU funding dedicated to energy storage research, demonstration, and deployment with a 66% success rate.

To visit the EASE website you can click here.