Centrica, one of the UK’s largest energy companies, is celebrating a “major breakthrough” as its flexibility trading platform goes live.

The UK will need significantly more energy storage than first thought to pursue a low cost, net zero energy system, a new study has found.

Power markets are evolving and beginning to value flexibility ahead of generation. As the UK’s networks companies move to embrace flexible generation assets, Liam Stoker spoke to some of the country’s leading providers to identify the hurdles and solutions to a more flexible power grid.

At 4:52pm on Friday 9 August 2019, the UK suffered its first wide-scale blackout in more than a decade. More than 1.1 million consumers were plunged into the dark as rail lines screeched to a halt, traffic lights failed and even airports reported problems. Liam Stoker looks at the root causes, and how battery storage came to the rescue.

British battery storage system manufacturer Powervault is backing a recent agreement with energy tech platform Kaluza to help expand its reach in its home market.

UK energy regulator Ofgem has been accused of “passing the buck” over the financial repercussions of its Targeted Charging Review (TCR) on flexibility projects in the country.

The EU’s latest Clean Energy Package (CEP) is “undoubtedly positive” for energy storage, with the technology expected to play a key role in meeting the legislation’s ambitious “32% by 2030” renewables target, Brittney Elzarei, senior policy officer at trade organisation EASE has said.

Perhaps the biggest indicator of the recognition of behind-the-meter storage so far this year has been the acquisition of Sonnen by oil major Shell. CEO Christoph Ostermann spoke to Andy Colthorpe about why home storage uptake could be on a worldwide series of inflection points.

Statkraft has partnered with energy & meteo systems to launch a 1GW wind, solar and battery storage virtual power plant in the UK, which it says will further renewables’ penetration into the country’s energy market.

Managing investor expectations and monetising demand for flexibility are key to future-proofing the industry’s business case, financiers stress at Energy Storage Summit.