Energy storage

1,500 pumped hydro plants of storage needed, says Royal Society

Transmission charges should reflect forecast future network

Shopping for solar: Are consumers getting a good deal?

New Balancing Reserve service to be fully open to smaller units

The Electricity System Operator (ESO) has reversed a decision that would have effectively ensured that a substantial portion of contracts for its proposed new Balancing Reserve service would be awarded to large gas plants. The body said its new position will fully open the market a wider pool of providers, including smaller and aggregated units.

Unblocking Energy Flexibility

System restoration services open to smaller generators

UK Infrastructure Bank invests in domestic battery production

Inquiry launched into long-duration energy storage  

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has launched an inquiry into long-duration energy storage as part of the UK’s ambitions to decarbonise the grid. The government has set a target for a fully decarbonised electricity system by 2035. The inquiry will seek to establish whether the government has sufficient policies in place to support medium and long-duration energy storage and whether it is on track to deliver this component of a net zero energy system.

ESO urged to ‘speed up’ Balancing Mechanism reforms

Drax gets green light for pumped storage hydro plant

Sending the right signals

Sunak urged to back pumped hydro storage support

Rishi Sunak has been urged by renewables bodies to bring forward a government decision on support for pumped hydro projects for storing electricity. In a letter sent to the prime minister, the chief executives of Scottish Renewables and the British Hydropower Association (BHA) stress the need for accelerated delivery of an investment mechanism to support the deployment of long duration electricity storage (LLES).

Ofgem clears path for Rough to operate until 2030

‘Get on, get back or get out’: ESO fleshes out connection queue reforms

Call for tax breaks extension for energy saving materials

The government is being urged to provide tax breaks for a wider range of energy saving materials. In a joint letter to the Treasury, the likes of EDF, Ovo and Eon call for tax relief for energy saving materials to be extended for technologies such as batteries, smart thermal stores and home electric vehicle chargers. The technologies on the Energy Saving Materials list are exempt from VAT, but the list has not been updated since 2006.