Portugal Energy Storage Forum 2026: The Challenge Is No Longer Producing Energy, It Is Integrating It
At the opening of the Portugal Energy Storage Forum 2026, organised by APREN, the message was clear: without storage and grid capacity, renewable projects stop being bankable.
STARTSIMPLE – Environmental Consultants attended the Portugal Energy Storage Forum 2026, organised by APREN. In the opening session, featuring Pedro Amaral Jorge, the central message was clear: the energy transition is no longer just an environmental issue but a matter of economic competitiveness, energy sovereignty and geopolitical stability.
As electrification of industry, transport and buildings accelerates, the power system has shifted from a centralised, predictable model to a decentralised, variable one, generating production surpluses at certain times. Energy storage is thus becoming an investment enabler: without flexibility, projects stop being bankable.
According to the speakers, the biggest challenge is no longer technological but rather the ability of the market and regulation to adequately remunerate storage. Added to this is the gap between renewable capacity and the grid's capacity to absorb it, flagged as a potential brake on the energy transition in coming years — even as hybrid projects and industrial flexibility solutions present clear opportunities.