Recently, the government announced proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to help achieve sustainable growth in the UK planning system. Now, the UK’s battery storage sector stands on the cusp of a transformative era, fuelled by the Labour Government’s ambitious commitment to establishing the nation as a “clean energy superpower by 2030.”
A record-breaking funding package, dedicating over £1.5 billion to homegrown clean energy projects aimed at bolstering the UK’s energy security, was also announced. The substantial investment promises to catalyse the development of new green infrastructure, essential for achieving clean power within the decade.
The Government’s broader growth agenda focuses on cutting bills, creating jobs, and delivering energy security through cheaper, zero-carbon electricity. This presents a wealth of opportunities for the battery storage industry. As the UK accelerates towards its net-zero goals, the synergy between renewable energy expansion and battery storage will be crucial in ensuring a reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy future.
Increased support for wind and solar
The latest revisions to the NPPF encourage the development of additional wind and solar projects. These onshore renewable technologies are cost-effective, efficient, and rapidly deployable, making them essential elements of the energy portfolio. Combined, they represent more than half of the UK’s renewable electricity generation capacity.
The Planning Act 2008 determined the threshold for which solar and onshore wind projects are considered Nationally Significant Infrastructure. Previously, it stated that consenting decisions in respect of solar and onshore wind projects with a generating capacity of more than 50 megawatts (MW) would be determined by the Secretary of State under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) regime, which would often see developers bring forward projects just under 50MW. Now, updates to the NPPF proposed would increase the threshold at which solar and onshore wind projects are determined as Nationally Significant to 100MW and 150MW respectively. In proposing to increase the threshold, smaller, less complex projects would be permitted to move through the planning process quicker and at a lower cost.
As many acknowledge battery storage as complimentary to wind and solar, increased support for the two will potentially see increased support for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in the UK. When the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing, the UK will need to rely on BESS and its ability to capture and store this energy and purposefully deploy it, subsequently increasing the value of clean energy by increasing production and potentially reducing costs.
With the Labour Government committed to removing barriers and facilitating the biggest upgrade to the UK’s national transmission infrastructure in a generation, it’s essential to investigate how BESS can help get us there.
Encouraging a broader adoption of BESS in the UK
As the UK Government continues its investment towards achieving its energy goals, BESS will play a crucial role in balancing supply and demand. It’s estimated that technologies like BESS, which support the integration of more low-carbon power, heat, and transport technologies, could save the UK energy system up to £40 billion ($48 billion) by 2050, ultimately lowering energy bills for consumers.
Recent years have seen a significant surge in the pipeline of BESS projects, primarily driven by legislative changes and cost reductions. In December 2020, the law was amended. It now allows local planning authorities to determine projects with capacities exceeding 50MW in England and over 350MW in Wales – a process previously managed solely by central government, which was lengthier and more complex.
Despite this rapid growth, several barriers still hinder the broader adoption of BESS technology. Although, with the proposed updates to the NPPF, we will hopefully see greater levels of renewable generation, which in turn can generate a greater need for BESS.
The value of flexibility, and consequently electricity storage, must be reflected in energy markets. This is crucial for achieving further deployment of electricity storage and operating a zero-carbon electricity system.
Promoting the vale of battery storage
As the transition to a renewable energy landscape continues, batteries emerge as the most adaptable solution for stabilising the intermittent nature of wind and solar power generation. To fully leverage the benefits of BESS, the UK energy sector must advocate for their value in the energy transition, raise consumer awareness, and push for planning reforms to accelerate adoption and encourage investment opportunities.
With these thoughts in mind, the UK – alongside Labour’s commitment to bringing cheaper, cleaner power, energy security and jobs to every corner of the country – is well positioned to become a world leader in BESS.