Energy storage capacity in the UK could reach 10GW in the 2030s if regulatory barriers are removed, according to a report by trade body Regen SW. In the report, ‘Energy Storage - Towards a commercial model’, Regen SW described the current state of the energy storage market as an unsolved Rubik’s Cube with misalignment between commercial drivers and barriers to growth. Regen SW called for a clear commitment to the development of a decentralised and flexible energy system, as outlined in the National Infrastructure Commission’s Smart Power report, as well as support for technology development and the demonstration of new business and operating models. The report also recommended the end-user licence definition of energy storage and how it is treated within the charging, regulatory and policy framework is clarified. “This should support the removal of instances of double charging for energy storage, for example end user network charge levies, and enables energy storage to fully access revenue streams to compete effectively in the market,” it stated. Regen SW also called for any proposed changes to the charging regime for transmission network costs to support innovation and the provision of low carbon flexibility services by ensuring a level playing field for storage. Regen SW director Johnny Gowdy: “The government will shortly be consulting on taking forward the National Infrastructure Commission ‘Smart Power’ report. This is a key opportunity to align policy and regulation to enable a more flexible power system with storage at its heart.”
Trade body Regen SW has called for a "clear commitment" from the UK government to a flexible, decentralised energy storage system, and said that resolving the "misalignment" between commercial drivers could result in UK storage capacity reaching 10GW by the 2030s. The report also calls on the Government to "ensure that all future investment is made with an eye towards meeting its climate change obligations".