UK grid operator wants 23 GW of batteries by 2030

Great Britain’s BESS fleet should rise to 23 GW to 27 GW by 2030, from 5 GW in 2023, according to NESO. That recommendation forms part of the recently-established, nationalized grid operator’s “Clean Power 2030” advice document for the UK government.  

The report outlines how the UK government can hit its goal of decarbonizing Great Britain’s electricity grid by 2030, with energy storage playing a key role. A major scale-up in build rates will be required to reach the capacity recommended by NESO, with the system operator calling for 2.6 GW to 3.2 GW of new batteries annually. 

LDES was also included as one of the key features of a decarbonized grid, in NESO’s report. The grid operator suggested the volume of LDES systems could rise from 3 GW, in 2023, to 5 GW to 8 GW in 2030.

NESO reckons achieving a clean power system in 2030 will require installed clean energy generation and storage capacity of around 210 GW to 220 GW across a diverse technology mix.

Connection queues

Reducing the grid connection queue will also be vital, NESO said. The grid operator has published the details of a consultation exercise which concerns proposals to speed up connections for electricity transmission facilities and for energy storage and generation projects connecting to the electricity distribution networks that affect transmission. Transmission concerns the movement of high-voltage electricity from generation sites to substations. Distribution concerns the movement of power at lower voltages from substations, suitable for use in individual premises.

NESO is suggesting the “first come, first served” basis of allocating grid connections be binned in favor of considerations of project readiness and of location-based and technical needs of the grid.

The energy system operator also acknowledged a need for more grid flexibility and said it has accelerated efforts to ensure BESS can participate fully in the wholesale market, on level terms with other sources of grid ancillary services such as frequency response.

The government will consider NESO’s document and has pledged to publish a clean power action plan during 2024.