To meet the energy demands of tomorrow, we need to change how we generate, manage, distribute and use energy.
The UK is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Yet, power demand is expected to double by then and currently 40% of UK power is generated by fossil fuels. De-carbonising the power sector for an increasingly power-hungry world requires substantial further investment in renewable energy. However, that is only part of the solution. The weather-reliant nature of many of these green energy systems means that their supply is intermittent and unable to match the patterns of demand on the grid, and the grid has very limited capacity to store surplus energy for when it’s needed. This is creating a huge grid-balancing challenge.
The battery solution
Lithium-ion battery storage facilities present the ideal solution, with:
Proven technology, and a global R&D effort that continues to drive efficiencies
A global supply chain that is well established and strengthening
A fast response rate, giving it the ability to provide grid-balancing power in seconds
Grid-connection flexibility and a low land requirement
Clean technology which supports the UK’s circular economy aspirations
Low impact technology
Battery energy storage facilities typically comprise highly efficient and low impact Megawatt lithium-ion batteries, an inverter, a transformer and a sub-station. The technology is quiet, non-polluting and environmentally safe. It is operated only on demand – often for seconds or minutes, and to a maximum of two hours a time. Each unit is securely housed within a shipping container or an individual self-contained module, treated or clad where required, and with landscaping appropriate for each setting. Facilities are fully managed to the highest industry standards for the term of their life (typically 25 years) and safely dismantled upon termination.
A pressing need
There is a significant shortfall in the UK’s battery storage provision:
- Current capacity: 1 GW
- Required by 2025: 10 GW
- Required by 2040: 40 GW
That’s where innovators, investors and delivery experts like Aldustria come in. Find out what we’re doing to rise to this challenge >>>.