The award of contracts to 1GW of battery storage was the “biggest news” to emerge from the latest round of Capacity Market auctions held in the UK.

Although different energy storage technologies are often thought of as in competition with each other, it’s a case of all-hands-on-deck if we are to achieve deployment targets.

Investors are becoming increasingly comfortable with energy storage as an asset class but numerous regulatory and market design hurdles remain across European markets.

The first awards of funding designed to “turbocharge” UK projects developing long-duration energy storage technologies have been made by the country’s government, with £6.7 million (US$9.11 million) pledged. 

Optimisation deals have been announced for battery storage systems in the UK for Habitat Energy and Centrica with developers Eelpower and Arlington Energy respectively.

Trina Storage has completed the supply of its first UK battery energy storage system (BESS), the 50MW/56.2MWh fully integrated grid-scale battery energy storage system owned by SMS plc

Brookfield Renewable Partners has signed a Framework Agreement with the UK’s Cambridge Power to develop a portfolio of battery storage and solar PV.

UK clean energy and transport solutions developer Zenobē Energy has established a multi-source debt structure of £241 million (US$326 million) to fund capital investment into e-buses and charging infrastructure.

Clean energy developer ILI Group has begun the initial planning phase for a new pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) project in Scotland.

Investors are now becoming more comfortable with battery storage in the UK, with projects being profitable and cost-effective, according to industry experts.