European Court of Auditors: EU plan to become a battery manufacturing powerhouse is at risk

Ensuring sufficient flexibility in the EU electricity sector, to which battery storage is very likely to contribute to a greater extent in the coming years, is one of the key prerequisites for further development of renewable energy use. However, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors, the EU’s plans for a massive expansion of battery factories could face several obstacles. In the auditors’ view, this could ultimately also jeopardise the goal of zero emissions for new cars by the middle of the next decade.

The European Court of Auditors, which independently audits the economy, efficiency, effectiveness, legality and regularity of EU action, published a special report on the EU’s industrial policy for batteries earlier this week. According to the auditors, the EU is at risk of failing to achieve its goal of becoming a global battery manufacturing powerhouse. The EU’s efforts to increase battery production capacity may not be enough to meet rising demand, the authors conclude, which could also mean that the Union fails to meet its target of zero emissions for new cars and vans by 2035.