UK can deliver 12GW of battery storage with stronger policies, report finds
7th December 2017 | Commercial Energy
A new report estimates that 12GW of subsidy-free battery deployment could be possible in the UK by 2021, despite only 0.6GW of capacity being installed and operational so far, but only if the Government learns from past failings in the solar market.
Launched by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) at its Winter Parliamentary Reception in the House of Commons on Wednesday (6 December), the report notes that the UK has a unique opportunity to become a leader in energy technology, providing it doesn’t underestimate the benefits like it has done with certain renewable energy generation technologies.
The UK has moved to back renewable electricity and electric vehicles (EVs) in recent months. The latter is set to act as an integral market for the Government’s Industrial Strategy, while renewables such as offshore wind set record low strike prices in the recent Contract for Difference (CfD) auction.
Battery Storage
However, the Renewable Energy Association (REA), the authors of the new report, argue that these two markets need to be backed by a prosperous energy storage boon. Specifically, the report notes that promoting the growth of battery storage to 12GW of capacity would improve energy security and support domestic manufacturing and export opportunities post-Brexit.
“Most people in the UK know the story of renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind, the prices of which has collapsed globally due to international supply chains and Government support,” the REA’s chief executive Dr Nina Skorupska said.
“The UK Government and many in the industry significantly underestimated how cheap and popular solar PV was to become. The technology and deployment patterns for battery storage and solar PV Are similar, and this report is intended to drive big thinking and put the UK on the front foot, rather than react after-the-fact.”
Despite the potential of battery storage, the REA claims that current policy signals would create a “medium deployment” scenario of 8 GW by the end of 2021. A low-deployment scenario – a likely occurrence if minimal regulatory change occurs – was also examined, with the report finding that just 1.7GW would be installed in the same timeframe.
More information available on the website below