While the demand for third-party battery energy storage system (BESS) optimisation services looks set to grow substantially, challenges for companies specialised in offering those services remain.

The early numbers on the benefits of the Energy Superhub Oxford’s combination of lithium-ion and vanadium flow batteries are “encouraging”, project owner EDF Renewables told Energy-Storage.news in an interview one year one from its launch.

Concern has been raised by the industry about battery storage consistently being overlooked in the UK’s Balancing Mechanism (BM), as the sector’s average revenues plummeted in the first half of 2023.

Japanese conglomerate Marubeni has acquired a 25MW wind and energy storage project in Wales, UK, from developer RES.

Drax Group has secured development consent for a 600MW underground pumped storage hydro (PSH) plant in Scotland, UK.

Battery energy storage system (BESS) developer Field has received a £200 million (US$257.96 million) investment from DIF Capital Partners.

UK energy infrastructure development company Carlton Power has secured planning consent for a 2,080MWh battery energy storage scheme (BESS).

Developer Eku Energy, backed by global investor Macquarie, and system integrator NHOA will start building two battery energy storage system (BESS) projects totalling 130MWh.

The commercial manager for Balance Power, one of two UK developers to have announced project approvals this week, has questioned whether the market standard 2-hour duration is enough for net zero.

The closure of UK battery storage specialist EPC and independent connection provider (ICP) firm G2 Energy has been confirmed by Companies House, with a senior manager describing “unsympathetic clients” in comments given to Energy-Storage.news and that the bulk of the team is joining outsourcing giant Mitie.