New members include companies and research institutes such as Fraunhofer IWS Dresden, NEC Europe, Gildemeister Energy Solutions, Hochtief Solutions AG, SMA Solar Technology AG, Clariant, GP Joule, Power One and most recently Vattenfall.

"This huge demand for membership clearly demonstrates that the growing energy storage business sector is looking for organised, professional representation at a national level", believes Prof. Eicke R. Weber, founding President of the BVES.

He explains that the aim of the association is to bring together all relevant decision-makers in the industry and to drive forward market development with a strong network of contacts. The skills and know-how of the newly founded BVES are already in demand at a number of professional bodies - the association's first success, according to Prof. Weber: "The institutions and member companies have wide-ranging expertise on all aspects of energy storage technology, and they can share this expertise with the political decision-makers."

Representatives of the BVES have already advised committees at the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi); the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and the Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Energy of the State of Baden-Württemberg.