Energy storage roadmap for UK’s net-zero transition

11th December 2020 | Recycling

The role of energy storage and the part it will play in helping the UK reach its net-zero targets on carbon emissions by 2050 has been set out in a roadmap drawn up by researchers at the University of Birmingham. The Energy Storage Roadmap, launched at a webinar attended by industry, academic and policy experts, assesses the role of storage in the UK’s future energy system over the next 10-15 years and sets out how British research and innovation can play a role in developing this system.

Achieving net-zero targets will depend on the growth of renewable energy sources such as wind and tidal power and the take-up of electric vehicles and heat pumps. Because the energy generated by the renewable sources varies, there is an increasing need for robust energy storage technologies – for both electricity and heat – which can keep energy systems stable and supply reliable.

Net zero

Technologies that allow energy to be stored over hours, days and months have been recognised as essential in the Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. Developing these systems in a sustainable and integrated way is key to the transition to a low-carbon energy system.
To achieve these goals, the roadmap sets out a series of key recommendations to guide future research and policy priorities, including:

  • Strengthen research and development in electrochemical batteries
  • Continue reforms to the electricity market and its regulation
  • Increase innovation support for large-scale storage technologies
  • Invest in Electric Vehicle manufacturing in the UK
  • Ensure that policy and regulation keep pace with technical innovation
  • Carry out systems analysis and modelling to improve understanding of the role that energy storage can play to meet the needs of future power generation
  • Establish institutional competencies to allow energy storage to be operated across scales, whilst delivering a wider system benefit.

More information available on the website below

Energy storage roadmap for UK’s net-zero transition