STEPS - STorage of Energy & Power Systems in NWE

Overview
Business Support
News
Events
E-Storage Matchmap
Publications/downloads

Key Information

EU FUNDING

€ 3.04 m
TOTAL BUDGET

€ 5.06 m
TIMELINE

2020-2023

Last Updated: 27/01/2021 12:24

Project Summary

STEPS will strengthen the competitiveness of NWE innovative storage providers by using a user-centric, demand-driven approach to bring products closer to market. STEPS will drive down the time energy storage SMEs typically spend on technology demonstration before reaching market maturity from an average of 5 years to 1-2, while maintaining maximum commercial usability.

Tailored energy
As the NWE is increasingly investing in distributed renewable energies (e.g. roof-mounted solar PV), the need for medium capacity energy storage solutions becomes apparent, with a market potential reaching €250bn by 2025. Heavily subsidized batteries from the US and Asia outpace EU suppliers through price-competition, and currently supply 80% of the storage market in NWE. Many of these mass-produced solutions are not tailored to the needs of local market segments including, e.g. housing providers, energy cooperatives and business parks. These use cases could benefit from tailored storage technologies, new technologies or adapted business models (e.g.Storage-as-a-Service).

Innovative NWE storage products are currently stuck at TRL5/6 and face significant barriers, ranging from fragmented regulations & funding sources, limited testing abilities and unawareness of final consumers.

Expectations
More than 50 future end-user of storage will be trained on using a new tool to model their e-storage need with direct links to a portfolio of 250-300 solution providers from NWE. On the long-term, this will position NWE as a leading storage player, gaining up to the 30% of the market with more than 120 new e-storage solutions commercialised and leading to the generation of >1100 new jobs.

Take your e-storage solution from test stage to market ready

Apply to the programme today!

STEPS Business Support Programme

See all projects

A new Business Support Programme for energy storage companies within North-West Europe launched in January 2021. The STorage of Energy and Power Systems (STEPS) Business Support Programme will support small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in bringing their energy storage solutions to the market.

As part of the Interreg North-West Europe (NWE) programme, the STEPS project aims to strengthen the collaboration and competitiveness of businesses in the region and lead NWE to the forefront of energy storage innovation.

The call for application is currently closed, in case you are still interested in participating in STEPS but missed the deadline please contact one of our regional partners.

Are you an energy storage solution provider in North-West Europe (NWE) and do you want to bring your product to the market? STEPS can provide support from knowledge partners in NWE and connect you with end-users and demonstrate your technology at their testbed. For more information, please go here.

Timeline for the second call for applications

The second call has closed the 17th June 2021.
The Business Support Programme includes two successive vouchers.
The first voucher (€12.500 each) starts from August 2021 and can take up to five months. The second voucher (€50.000 each) can start as early as January 2022 and will last six months.

Take your e-storage solution from test stage to market ready

Apply to the programme today!

STEPS Business Support Programme

News

Successful take-off STEPS Business Support Programme

Posted on February 25, 2021 1:56 PM

In March 2021 energy storage technology in North-West Europe will get a boost as the Business Support Programme of STEPS begins. Up to 20 SMEs will each receive €12.5k worth of support from world renowned universities to further develop their energy storage solutions. We are excited to see the great interest in the programme as more than 55 SMEs have applied during this first open call. Read More

‘Bringing innovative energy-storage ideas a step forward’

Posted on February 25, 2021 1:05 PM

Taking important steps in the field of energy storage. That is the core of the Interreg 5 STEPS program: STorage of Energy & Power Systems. This project is all about innovative companies that develop solutions for the storage of energy. Wendy de Jong, director of lead partner Oost NL, explains what STEPS can mean for energy storage companies in the NWE-region: Read More

Accelerating innovative e-storage solutions with the STEPS Business Support Programme

Posted on January 5, 2021 11:29 AM

A new business support programme for energy storage companies within North-West Europe launches next month. The STorage of Energy and Power Systems (STEPS) Business Support Programme will support small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in bringing their energy storage solutions to the market. As part of the Interreg North-West Europe (NWE) programme, the STEPS project aims to strengthen the collaboration and competitiveness of businesses in the region and lead NWE to the forefront of energy storage innovation. Applications for SMEs to receive knowledge and business support will open on 11th January 2021. Read More

Events

Matchmaking across borders to increase future energy storage (e-storage) opportunities, that is the goal of the new STEPS interactive map. This E-storage Matchmap makes linking energy storage suppliers, end users, knowledge institutions and service providers far easier and more effective. History shows that connecting parties with the right expertise determines the degree of success of innovations, which is why the STEPS team has mapped out a resource to help e-storage entrepreneurs do just that. The database is considered an 'open register'. This means that new companies, service providers, testbed providers for energy storage solutions and knowledge institutions from the area can also be included in the platform.

The E-storage Matchmap is a digitally mapped representation of companies involved in energy and energy storage that are also interested in cross-border collaboration. Next to these companies, the platform lists various testbed providers, service providers and network organisations.

To facilitate navigation, users can filter the map by type of organisation, country, target market, position in value chain and main technology. By selecting one or more of these options, only the organisations that have been assigned the relevant specifications will be shown. The table then shows the name of the organisation, the main technology, the primary target market, the country, and a link to the website. It is also possible to use the search function to find a specific organisation.

Visit the E-Storage Matchmap here!

STEPS Matchmaking crossborder

Listing in the Matchmap

Are you an entrepreneur in the energy storage sector and interested in cross-border collaboration? Add your company to the E-storage Matchmap! To initiate the process, please send an e-mail to: susan.jansen@oostnl.nl.

In the map we have carefully linked companies to different key technologies. If you find any inaccuracies, please contact susan.jansen@oostnl.nl.

STEPS

In STEPS, business support and knowledge partners from the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom have joined forces to strengthen the competitiveness of innovative energy storage (e-storage) providers in North-West Europe (NWE). STEPS is a project within the Interreg North-West Europe (NWE) programme. Interreg NWE falls under the European Cohesion Policy and is financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The STEPS project has produced several reports and booklets. For example, a market analysis of trends and challenge in a rocketing market, a booklet with factsheets about energy and power storage in different sectors, and a booklet with results from the testing of innovative storage solutions by SMEs in the STEPS business support programme.

You can find these and more downloads below. Take a look and share the information with your relations.