Electricity distribution investment in Europe is expected to reach €48 billion in 2027, according to the figures cited as renewable generation, battery storage and electricity demand increase network pressure. The same dataset shows annual spending across the EU and Norway rising from €24 billion in 2021 to €36 billion in 2024. Further investment is expected to be required to connect new projects and reinforce infrastructure designed for a more decentralised system.
Rising connection demand across EU and Norway
Connection applications are presented as evidence of how quickly demand for network access is building. Italy has about 348 GW of variable renewable capacity seeking network access, alongside approximately 277 GW of storage applications at transmission level. Germany’s storage queue is described as roughly 480 GW.
The scale of these queues is said to exceed the capacity likely to be built, with applications including speculative or overlapping projects. The figures are also linked to a growing mismatch between development pipelines and available network access.
Utility-scale storage growth and regional contribution
Operational utility-scale storage across the EU is reported to have more than doubled during 2025. By early 2026, it reached about 11.2 GW, with Germany accounting for approximately 2.9 GW. This growth is cited alongside expanding connection requests for renewables and storage.
The data set does not attribute connection delays solely to financing levels. It states that permitting, equipment availability, labour shortages and the speed at which regulated operators recover investment costs remain constraints on timelines.
Project timelines tied to credible grid access
For developers, the commercial value of a renewable or storage project is described as increasingly dependent on securing a credible connection timetable. The same account links that timetable to land, permits and financing requirements.
