The Electricity Storage Network |
"Let's connect 2020 MW of Energy Storage to our power networks by 2020!"Delegates at the annual conference organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Electricity Storage Network agred with the ESN's target to see 2020 MW of storage by 2020. The end of 2020 is just 93 months away, said the Chairman, Ian Arbon. We need to see development now, and across the next seven years if we are to meet this target. The conference covered electricity storage and the national interest, international perspectives, financing and policy issues and updates on current electricity storage projects. The programme can be downloaded here. £30m to create R&D facilitiesto develop and test grid-scale energy storageDavid Willets, the Minister for Universities and Science, announced a package of £600 million support for science which is to include £30 million to create R&D facilities to develop and test grid scale energy storage. The announcement on 23 January and further details are available here UK - Future World Leader in Energy Storage
Energy Storage competitionsDECC’s Energy Storage competitionsTechnology innovators have been submitting their bids for DECC’s two energy storage innovation schemes: one for large-scale energy storage demonstration projects and the other for research and feasibility studies into storage systems and their components. Results from the assessment are expected soon. Please follow this link for further details: The Electricity Storage Network welcomes this competition, which will stimulate the development of British developments in electricity storage. Electricity Storage Network members have supported a number of discussions and briefings with DECC over the past year as this programme has been developed.
Build megawatt hours, not just megawatts
“Meeting Britain’s power requirements needs storage as well as generating capacity” says Anthony Price, Director of the Electricity Storage Network. "The expected shortfall in reliable generating capacity has been caused, in part, by a lack of commitment to a balanced portfolio of generation, storage and network investment. Building megawatts of new gas turbine plant is part of the solution, but adding more electricity storage into the power system will bring real long term benefits.
“Adding storage to a power system is a way of operating the whole system more efficiently. Storage will reduce the total operating costs, and so reduce the costs of energy to consumers. Instinctively, everyone knows that storage is good idea, making better use of wrong time energy is one of the priorities of the renewable energy industry.
"The opportunity is now." Referring to reports that large scale investment in gas fired electricity generation is planned, the ESN's Director continues: " if the Government does not support the use of storage as part of the solution to meet our power shortfall, we will lose this opportunity, and live to regret it. What is low cost now will take us down power’s one way street. It will be difficult and costly to reverse. Our plans for the Smart Grid show we need storage and we must seize this opportunity now.”
The Electricity Storage Network is the trade and industry group that promotes the increased use of electricity storage in grid connected applications. Its members include manufacturers and developers of electricity storage products, as well as users and researchers in storage technologies. Electricity storage technologies include battery systems, pumped hydro, liquid air, pumped heat, compressed air and flywheels,. Electricity storage projects are in operation throughout the world. 12 October 2012 DECC announces announcement of new energy storage competition (15 October 2012) The Electricity Storage Network advises its members that DECC now expects to confirm details of its programmes to support energy storage demonstrations on Friday 20 October. At a special meeting of ESN members held on on 15 October, DECC officials outlined the principles of the forthcoming support for innovation. There will be a knowledge sharing event held with the energy and generation KTN on 6 November in London.
Craig Lucas, Head of Engineering at DECC announced premliminary details of DECC's competition for energy storage innovation at the IET's meeting on Smart Grids (19 September 2012). Innovators can now register their interest on the DECC website prior to publication of the formal details of the call. The Electricity Storage Network is pleased to have supported officials at DECC in identifying the topics for the call, and a number of Electricity Storage Network members have discussed the need for support for this essential technology at ESN meetings with DECC over the past twelve months.
MP's call for electricity storage to be recognized in the new Energy Bill The House of Commons select committee on Energy and Climate Change has published its review of the Draft Energy Bill (23 July 2012) and has called for demand-side response and storage technologies to be recognised and defined explicitly in the Energy Bill. The case is argued for support for storage and DECC should investigate the legislative and other barriers to storage, and remove any that prevent it from competing fairly in the market. The report may be downloaded here (see volume 1, para 192) The Electricity Storage Network provided written evidence to the committee, and this has been commented upon in the report. Many other witnesses provided evidence supporting the role of storage.
Government failing to adequately support vital electricity storage technologies The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has published a policy statement - 31 May 2012 - which calls for action by Her Majesty's Government in three key areas: 1. Support actions to identify the true system benefit of electricity storage. As a matter of priority the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) should carry out a detailed analysis to estimate the realistic requirements for electricity storage across the whole UK power system and its corresponding value to the nation. 2. Develop policy frameworks that reward the value of electricity storage in the UK’s power markets. The UK Government’s Electricity Market Reform (EMR), which is examining and revising the commercial and regulatory structure of the nation’s electricity market, should take into account the unique nature of electricity storage and remunerate investors and operators accordingly. 3. Encourage and support UK development of storage technologies for exploitation in world markets. The UK Government should advance the commercial-scale demonstration of electricity storage technologies in the UK, and thereby create technical value that UK companies can export overseas. These recommendations are very much in line with our own views and policy and we commend the policy statement. You can download the policy statement here, and the accompanying press release here
Electricity storage innovation A meeting held on 12 April 2012, London ESN members and representatives of DECC, OFGEM and BIS met recently in London to exchange views and ideas on the support for electricity storage innovation. Ideas covered both support for technoology development as well as addressing electricity market reforms. A note of the meeting will be sent to all members. ESN members included network owners and operators, manufacturers, developers, and others active in the electricity storage spectrum. The discussions with government departments will continue over the coming months. This activity comes at a time when recent reports and discussions have highlighted the role of storage as one of the four pillars of flexibility in the UK’s future electricity system. The Electricity Storage Network is promoting the role of storage in the power industry and is active to ensure that electricity storage is included in revisions to regulations and legislation. Presentation slides by Ian Ellerington of DECC are available for download here (available by permission of DECC) Notes of the meeting will be sent to members directly |
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The time is right for electricity storage! The Electricity Storage Network brings together those interested in the development of grid or network connected energy storage within the UK. Our focus is to
Membership is open to all organisations, companies, academic instituions and individuals who have an interest in electricity storage. Please contact our office for details of membership fees. Some members of the group are also members of the Electricity Storage Association (ESA) The ESA is recognised as the leading international trade association for users and developers of electricity storage. Our group does not intend to duplicate the activities of the ESA and we remain supportive of their mission. ESN Responses to Consultations Use the side bar link to policy and issues for details of our recent consultation responses.
We welcome the European Association for the Storage of Energy: a number of our friends are founding members of this group which was born on 27 September 2011. We look forward to working with them. Reports on Energy Storage The Centre for Low Carbon Futures have published their report "Pathways to energy storage" on 27 March 2012. You may download a copy here. We have listed some links to third party reports on storage on the links page.
Conferences and Meetings
Website updated 13 November 2012 _ .
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