Grid-connected energy storage: a new piece in the UK energy puzzle

The electricity sector is currently undergoing its biggest transformation for over half a century. The need to diversify electricity generation sources, bringing in new renewables, nuclear and fossil fuel plants to work with the existing generation infrastructure, the adjustments to the distribution network to allow these sources to contribute to the National Grid, and the development of smart grids and intelligent appliances to allow demand to be varied according to the availability and cost of power throughout the day, are all changing the way that electricity is generated, accessed and used.

However, there is another component to the electricity network which also needs attention, but which, at the moment, is not gaining a foothold: energy storage. This is going to be vital in the coming decades: according to a Technology Innovation Needs Assessment (TINA) from the Low Carbon Innovation Group published in August, the UK’s energy requirements in 2050 will include 7-59GW of total grid-connected electricity storage capacity.