#GuestColumn: Battery Storage Builds a Bridge to a Renewable Energy System

Battery storage has emerged as a key enabler of the renewable energy system. In their guest column, experts from Renewables Finland explain how the transformation of the energy system is reflected, among other things, in the growing battery project landscape.

Wind and solar power have rapidly become significant and expanding components of Finland’s domestic energy mix. At the beginning of 2026, new records were once again broken: Finland now has more than 10 GW of wind power capacity and utility-scale solar power plants. The growing production of renewable energy is also accelerating the development of various solutions that support the electricity system. In this transition, battery storage is no longer a complementary technology or a curiosity, but a critical enabler.

The role of battery storage has shifted from the margins to the core of the electricity system. Batteries help balance the power system, enable more efficient use of renewable energy, and support system reliability. These flexibility solutions are accelerating the large-scale integration of renewable energy.

This development is clearly visible in the project landscape. In Finland, the number of battery storage projects has increased rapidly, and they are being implemented both as standalone solutions and as part of wind and solar power projects. In particular, hybrid projects that combine generation and storage are becoming increasingly common: according to project data from Renewables Finland, around 160 such projects were under development in Finland at the turn of the year. In addition to new projects, battery capacity is also planned for many existing wind and solar power sites to support generation. Battery solutions are technically sound, improve project profitability, and offer new opportunities to participate in reserve and flexibility markets.

Renewables Finland plays an important role in this transition as a collector and disseminator of information and as a builder of a shared industry perspective. The association compiles an overall view of renewable energy and battery storage project development, actively engages in advocacy work, and highlights solutions that enable renewable energy and flexibility solutions to be integrated in a sustainable manner.

Battery storage is not a separate element of the energy transition, but a core part of its infrastructure. Its importance will continue to grow as we move toward an increasingly electrified, low-emission society.

Klaara Tapper & Veera Villikari
Renewables Finland
firstname.lastname(at)suomenuusiutuvat.fi

Renewables Finland (formerly the Finnish Wind Power Association) represents onshore wind power, offshore wind power, and utility-scale solar power, as well as energy storage solutions built in connection with these projects. Founded in 1988, the association shares information and supports the development and operation of renewable energy in Finland.