The ongoing long-duration energy storage (LDES) consultation has been dubbed a “defining policy” for the GB power sector to achieve its 2035 decarbonisation goal.
In an exclusive article written by Thibault Delouvrié, energy storage principal consultant, and Stephen Guthrie, head of storage and grids UK and Ireland, at DNV, on our sister publication Energy-Storage.news, the authors recognised the importance of the consultation and the opportunities it could bring to the pumped hydro storage sector – a technology that has been stalling in recent years.
Indeed, due to various factors including a lack of governmental support or direction, no pumped hydro storage plants have been developed in the UK for 40 years, yet it is still regarded as the leading LDES technology in the nation with 2.8GW of capacity deployed.
One of the key aspects of the consultation, and one highlighted in DNV’s article, is the support the consultation could bring to emerging technologies in the LDES sector. This includes flow batteries, gravity storage, compressed air energy storage (CAES), liquid air energy storage (LAES) and metal-air batteries.
However, Delouvrié and Guthrie disclosed that “it is unclear whether the effect of such technologically agnostic support to a range of LDES technologies, both in the UK and elsewhere in the world, will achieve the cost reduction that would over time allow such projects to compete with other forms of storage and dispatchable generation”.
It is worth noting that the development of the LDES policy framework is regarded as a “positive step to supporting emission-free technology and recognising their benefits at the system view”.
Previous coverage of the consultation stated that LDES will be pivotal in delivering a smart and flexible energy system integrating low-carbon power, heat and transport, and 20GW of LDES deployments between 2030 and 2050 could result in system savings of £24 billion. But for this to be achieved, there are various issues to overcome.
One of the biggest issues that must be resolved is grid infrastructure, a topic that has been extensively explored via our Current± Explores: The Grid Connection Conundrum mini-series.
According to Delouvrié and Guthrie, battery energy storage system (BESS) technologies are one of the many solutions being touted to reduce strain on the grid and solve key bottlenecks. This general perspective should also be considered for LDES technologies as these can “provide system benefits beyond simple capacity”.
However, LDES, such as pumped hydro, could come under scrutiny due to constraints in Scotland and North-East England. The article said the technology would “spark debate over the connection routes, particularly overhead lines vs underground cables”.
You can read the full article on Energy-Storage.news here.