Using smart storage to turn buildings into prosumers

No longer passive energy consumers, buildings are increasingly evolving into active, flexible components of the energy system, capable of producing, storing and managing energy in smarter ways.

Recorded in the context of Enlit Europe 2025 in Bilbao, this episode follows the session “Flexible Solutions Empowering Citizens” and explores how thermal energy storage and digital integration can unlock flexibility at the local level. Joining the discussion are Emilia Pisani and Guillermo Andrés Nieto, representing the Thermal Energy Storage Cluster (TES Cluster), a collaboration of four Horizon Europe projects: THUMBS UP, ECHO, BEST Storage and Hystore.

As Emilia explains, the cluster was formed to maximise synergies across projects tackling similar challenges with different technological approaches. “There is power in numbers,” she notes, highlighting how joint communication and aligned technical work strengthen both impact and visibility; particularly when engaging with the European Commission.

At the heart of the discussion lies a simple but pressing challenge: the mismatch between when renewable energy is produced and when it is needed. Thermal energy storage emerges as a key solution, enabling buildings to store excess energy and deploy it when demand peaks. As Guillermo puts it, “we are trying to rely on renewable energy sources without losing comfort,” and storage technologies are essential to bridging that gap.

The episode also underscores the importance of citizen engagement. From concerns about safety and noise to questions of cost and value, residents play a decisive role in the uptake of new technologies. Empowering users through digital tools and awareness, Emilia argues, can create behavioural shifts with ripple effects far beyond individual buildings.

Ultimately, the conversation points to a broader transformation: buildings as active participants – think of prosumers – in a decentralised, data-driven energy system. With integrated solutions combining storage, renewables and smart controls, they can help balance the grid "one building at a time".

As Europe pushes towards climate neutrality, this episode makes one thing clear: the future energy system will not only be powered by clean energy, but also by smarter, more engaged buildings.

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Listen to previous episodes:

EU Energy Projects Podcast: Decarbonising energy intensive industries
EU Energy Projects Podcast: AI sovereignty and the energy transition with project EDDIE