Statement: European Council backs electrification, renewables and storage to lower electricity prices

BRUSSELS, Belgium (16 October 2026): Following the European Council meeting of 15-16 October, EU leaders called for further measures to address soaring energy prices. In their conclusions, they point to electrification, renewables, grids and storage as the most effective path to structurally lower energy prices. The European Council also stressed the need for a predictable carbon market that maintains a price signal for emissions. SolarPower Europe has issued the following statement in reaction.

Dries Acke, Deputy CEO of SolarPower Europe: “Today’s conclusions rightly recognise that renewable-based electrification and energy storage are Europe’s best protection against fossil fuel price shocks. There is a lot that Europe can do in the short-term to bring energy bills down and reduce our exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.

Faster deployment of rooftop solar is a proven and swift solution for lowering citizens’ energy bills, while large-scale batteries can store cheap abundant renewable electricity and push out expensive gas peakers when electricity demand is high. These are practical, easy-to-deploy measures that can help shield European households and businesses before next winter.

We also need to ensure a level playing field between electricity and gas. Fairer energy taxation and a strong, predictable carbon price are essential to making electrification the affordable choice. The ongoing negotiations around the Electricity Bills proposal and the ETS Directive revision are key opportunities to make it happen.

The European Council has recognised that electrification, renewables and storage are the most effective route to structurally lower energy prices. The priority now should be to accelerate their deployment and never to find ourselves in this fossil fuel trap again."

Notes 
 

• The European Council called for a “coordinated European response” of targeted and temporary measures to tackle high energy prices and invited the Commission to examine further short-term measures.
  
   
• EU leaders identified reducing dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets as an “overarching imperative” and said the energy transition is the most effective strategy for structurally lowering energy prices, specifically referring to accelerated electrification and deployment of renewable and low-carbon energy, grids and energy storage.
  
   
• On the ETS, EU leaders called for a well-functioning, transparent and predictable carbon market while preserving the role of the carbon price signal in driving investment and innovation.
  
   
• SolarPower Europe analysis published on 15 October 2026 finds that EU solar generation avoided more than €40 billion in gas imports between 1 March and 15 October 2026, demonstrating the role of solar in reducing exposure to fossil fuel costs and volatility. 

© European Union