FRANKFURT, GERMANY and MILAN, ITALY — Renewable energy is constantly evolving and challenging traditional utilities but one growing sector could make home-generated power much easier to use and cut customers’ dependence on energy companies dramatically – solar batteries.

A major conundrum with solar panels has always been how to keep the lights on when the sun isn’t shining.

Solar batteries allow homes and businesses to store solar power to use in the hours of darkness and can also help to create ‘smart grids’ that react to sudden power swings and free stored energy when needed.

The technology is still expensive and not widely used but with energy bills soaring for consumers, it could quickly gain market share and reduce dependence on utilities, which are already struggling with overcapacity and weak demand.

Italy has some of the highest power prices in Europe and is looking at how to cut costs to allow its businesses to compete.

Nicola Cosciani, head of energy storage at Italy’s top industrial battery maker Fiamm, says heavy power users like cement and steel makers are looking at generating and storing their own solar power – and even selling excess power from their batteries on to the grid.

‘Germany and Italy will be explosive […]