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 over 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
The UK’s energy retail market is witnessing an exodus of customers leaving the so-called Big Six for independent suppliers, who are attracting them with home solar systems and a battery to match. Liam Stoker uncovers what’s behind the trend for new energy suppliers taking to domestic PV.
The growth potential of energy storage has drawn interest from some of the biggest names in the power business and beyond. With the trend set to continue, Andy Colthorpe explores how three of the recent targets are faring under new ownership.
As the building blocks of energy storage systems, batteries have a key role in influencing system design and economics. Davion Hill of DNV GL explores the importance of testing the performance of individual battery cells in minimising the exposure of battery buyers to technical risks.
A key missing piece in the clean energy puzzle is the question of how to provide baseload power in an electricity system dominated by intermittent renewables. Javier Cavada of Highview Power examines cryogenic long-duration storage as a possible solution.
In the hierarchy of grid needs, peaking power is often a priority in terms of providing resiliency and balance to the network. This is usually provided by natural gas turbines, which come at a high environmental and economic cost. Andy Colthorpe charts the rise of the solar-plusstorage peaker plant.
This year’s Solar Power International trade show dedicated what seemed like
almost as much space to energy storage as solar. As Andy Colthorpe reports, this is likely a strong
indication of the way the world is adopting renewable energy, particularly California, where storage
looks set to play a key role in helping the Golden State realise its green ambitions
Andy Colthorpe speaks to Janice Lin of the California Energy Storage Alliance
on what sort of role energy storage will play in reaching the ‘100% carbon-free retail
electricity’ goal of the state’s SB100 legislation
Energy storage projects often fail to deliver value because of economic
miscalculations. These computational issues, however, can now be mitigated by applying software,
analytics and machine learning, write Enrico Ladendorf and Bryce Evans
