-
Government changes planning rules to maximise
UK’s renewable energy storage and create hundreds of
new green jobs
-
changes will make it easier to build larger
batteries – ensuring renewable energy can be stored and
used all year round
-
over 100 large-scale batteries could now be
built, trebling the amount already in
operation
The government today announced it will
relax planning legislation to make it easier to
construct large batteries to store renewable energy from
solar and wind farms across the UK.
Removing barriers for energy storage projects, which are
discouraging bolder investment decisions in larger battery
facilities, could treble the number of batteries serving
the electricity grid. It will help bring about storage
cells that are 5 times bigger than those currently
available.
The UK has the largest installed capacity of offshore wind
in the world, however because the availability and speed of
wind is not constant, energy can sometimes be produced when
it is not needed and then lost.
Today’s move will see ministers introduce secondary
legislation to remove barriers for storage projects above
50 MW in England
and 350 MW in
Wales, meaning more clean energy can be stored and used all
year round.
Energy storage has played a key role in balancing the UK’s
electricity system during the 20% drop in demand during the
COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring what was produced was used
efficiently.
Minster for Energy and Clean Growth said:
The key to capturing the full value of renewables is in
ensuring homes and businesses can still be powered by
green energy even when the sun is not shining, or the
wind has stopped blowing.
Removing barriers in the planning system will help us
build bigger and more powerful batteries, creating more
green-collar jobs and a smarter electricity network.
Flexible technologies like batteries will form part of the
UK’s smarter electricity grid, supporting the integration
of more low-carbon power, heat and transport technologies,
which it is estimated could save the UK energy system up to
£40 billion by 2050.
Last month ministers invested £10 million in the world’s
largest and first liquid air battery facility in
Manchester. The 50 MW project, to be built in Trafford,
will be able to store energy for longer than a lithium
battery – helping power 200,000 homes. But today’s
announcement could usher in batteries that are even bigger.
Head of Markets at National Grid Electricity System
Operator, Kayte O’Neill, said:
How we operate Great Britain’s grid is changing, with
record levels of renewable sources generating our power.
Storage can help us make the most of this green energy,
using it to manage peaks and troughs in demand and
operate the electricity system as efficiently as possible
- keeping costs down for consumers too.
The government is investing more than £3 billion in
low-carbon innovation, as the UK aims to end its
contribution to climate change entirely by 2050.
Notes for editors
There is currently 4 GW of storage projects in planning
which could power a combined 6 million homes, in addition
to the 1 GW of
battery storage already in operation.
View the government response to the Planning system for
electricity storage: follow up consultation
