Long-duration energy storage: UK’s House of Lords tells government to ‘get on with it’ and act fast

By George Heynes
LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email

The UK’s House of Lords Science and Technology Committee released a report yesterday (13 March) determining that the government must make “major decisions about future energy infrastructure”.

The Long-duration energy storage: get on with it report highlights that the government must “act fast” to ensure long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies can scale up and contribute to the decarbonisation of the electricity system. This target is a mere 11 years away.

The Committee which published the report is among a number of select committees set up by the House of Lords, the upper house of the UK Parliament which is independent of the elected House of Commons. The committees are appointed to examine and explore general issues affecting the country.

In a bid to support the technology, the Committee’s report outlined that a coordinated effort is needed to unlock investment in LDES and to ensure a strategic reserve of storage is delivered both to achieve net zero and to protect the UK from future energy supply shocks, a perspective shared by various members from across the energy industry.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

One of the biggest questions raised by the energy industry in response to the government’s consultation on LDES technologies was the decision to exclude lithium-ion batteries from the LDES business model. For example, battery developer-operator Field’s COO, Luke Gibson, stated that excluding lithium-ion technology at a 6-hour duration “should be reconsidered”.

The report also discussed this topic, with the Committee stating that one of the most significant barriers to LDES technologies has been a greater focus on lithium-ion batteries. It said, “One of the key barriers is that there is still too much focus on lithium-ion”.

Whilst the Committee has welcomed the government’s recent reforms to the energy system, such as committing to delivering a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, the report raises concerns that it is unclear who will be responsible for implementing this plan or how future energy supply crises will be managed.

To read the full version of this story, visit Current.

Read Next

October 8, 2025
Repurposing EV battery packs and modules into BESS obviously has environmental benefits, but challenges around pricing, performance and safety remain, panellists at an industry event in London said last week.
October 6, 2025
Asset manager AIP Management has bought a 49% stake in a 2.4GWh UK portfolio from global BESS investment platform BW ESS for a deal in excess of £650 million (US$873 million).
October 3, 2025
WaterNSW, the state-owned water supplier to New South Wales, Australia, has selected three dams as suitable sites for pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) developments.
October 2, 2025
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has completed construction on the first stage of its Supernode battery energy storage system (BESS) in Queensland, Australia.
Premium
October 1, 2025
Local authorities approved 1,237MW/2,474MWh of grid-scale BESS in the UK, the latest data from our monthly roundup shows.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter