Contrary to what the recent Volkswagen emissions scandal would indicate, Germany generally scores well when it comes to environmental issues. And the country's recent push to phase out fossil and nuclear power and boost green energy has unlocked the need for new technologies – especially storage for renewable energy.

Germany's shift to green energy – known locally as the energy transition – poses a security-of-supply problem, as stable nuclear and fossil-fuel plants wind down and the country moves toward its target of 80 per cent electricity generation through renewables by 2050. That is because solar and wind are fluctuating technologies that provide most power on sunny and windy days.

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