The UK has ambitious targets to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Alongside this, are robust measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 68% by 2030, with the UK the only major economy to have also set a target of reducing emissions by 78% for 2035. But despite this, the UK is currently falling behind, with the Climate Change Committee (CCC) just this year noting “a significant delivery gap” in the country’s ability to meet its emissions targets.
The adoption of innovative technologies to support the green energy transition must be prioritised in order to close this gap. Whilst progress has been made in many areas, there is more that needs to be done. Among a multitude of different solutions, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) have emerged as a pivotal solution in our net zero journey, with transformative potential for our use of renewable energy.
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Unlocking Grid Stability
The UK will need to become increasingly reliant on renewable energy in order to make net zero a reality. In 2022, researchers found that 40% of the UK's electricity was made up of solar, wind, biomass and hydropower. The UK is also actively engaged in installing more renewable energy infrastructure in line with its goal of increasing solar energy installations to 70GW by 2035 and 50GW of offshore wind by 2030. Alongside this, demand for electricity is also increasing.
But despite increased further commitments and progress, we must acknowledge that intermittent renewable energy sources, coupled with ever increasing demand for electricity, pose a significant challenge to the UK’s grid stability. Consequently, reliable storage solutions such as BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) will be increasingly required to smooth supply to the UK grid from renewables.
BESS are battery systems that store electrical energy as chemical energy. They typically consist of battery packs placed in racks that are then connected, alongside specialist battery management systems, to create the energy storage system. BESS can play a crucial role in levelling the load on modern power grids where, due to the increased adoption of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydropower, and bioenergy, there are parts of the day when supply outstrips demand and vice versa.
A range of battery technologies can be used in BESS with differing characteristics, including energy density, performance, lifespan and weight. When developing BESS, there are a wide range of factors to consider such as the specific application, cost of the system, energy density requirements, safety risks and environmental impact. Current advancements in battery technology also continue to expand the range of options available.
BESS can support the increased use of renewables, as well as challenges around demand, in a multitude of ways. They offer many benefits over traditional grid storage solutions including greater flexibility, greater scalability and reduced costs as well as higher efficiency. BESS can also respond quicky to changes in the power grid to balance it and provide backup power. They help with the distribution of energy, as well as supporting grid stability by regulating frequency and reducing fluctuations in voltage.
The systems store energy from renewable sources and help to balance the energy demand in the grid by storing excess energy and then providing it to the grid during low periods of renewable energy generation. For example, they can be used for EV charging infrastructure to support peak demand periods but also to help store energy during off-peak hours to use later at peak times when costs are typically higher. In summary, this all means that BESS are essential in speeding up the process of replacing fossil fuels with green energy.
Overcoming BESS challenges
The demand for energy storage systems has significantly increased in the past few years. According to a recent report from McKinsey, on a global scale, the market is expected to reach between $120 billion and $150 billion by 2030. On the European side, the UK has the highest demand for grid-scale storage, leaving behind its usual competitors, Germany, Italy and France.
There is clearly a growing demand for BESS in the UK. However, there is little information regarding BESS supply chains in the UK. If these are not properly managed, there is potential for BESS and electrical vehicle (EV) battery supply chains to compete with each other. There is also an opportunity to reuse end-of-life EV packs in BESS, improving circularity and reducing overall environmental impact, which shouldn’t be ignored.
While the potential benefits of BESS are clear, we must recognise that there are many challenges before we can truly capitalise on its potential. Building a resilient supply chain will be a key part to facilitating the increased installation and use of BESS across the UK.
We must also ensure we continue to invest in research and development. A key part of this will be communication between academia and industry in order to drive innovation. Bringing these key players together will enable better adoption of new technologies and improved knowledge transfer to industry, helping to make UK-made BESS competitive with foreign made systems.
In conclusion, Battery Energy Storage Systems represent an incredible opportunity for us to meet sustainability targets and they pave the way to a reality where the UK meets net zero emissions by 2050. There are a number of challenges we must address to get there, from a complex supply chain, to increased investment in R&D. But if industry, Government and academia work hand-in-hand to prioritise BESS, they have the potential to play a vital role in the UK’s green energy transition.
Read more on the potential for BESS in the latest whitepaper from The Manufacturing Technology Centre : https://www.the-mtc.org/media/armpdfgl/mtc_uk-supply-chain-challenges_bess_v1-0.pdf
