A new report released today by RenewableUK reveals that the nationwide capacity of battery projects has increased by two-thirds over the past year.

According to the latest EnergyPulse Energy Storage report, the total capacity of the battery project pipeline (including operational, under construction, consented, or planned projects) has surged from 57.1 gigawatts (GW) a year ago to 95.6GW. This increase of 67.4% (38.5GW) is sufficient to fully charge more than 2.6 million electric vehicles. This marks the second consecutive twelve-month period in which the pipeline has grown by this percentage.

Currently, operational battery storage capacity stands at 4.4GW, with 4.3GW under construction. Additionally, 30.4GW has received consent, 26GW is in the planning system, and 30.4GW is in the early stages of development but has not yet been submitted.

www.renewableuk.com

The chart illustrates the total UK battery project portfolio in megawatts (MW)

The average project capacity seeking planning permission has surged from 27MW in 2019 to 80MW presently, marking a remarkable increase of 53MW or 196%. A 50MW battery with a 2-hour duration (100MWh) has the capacity to fully charge 1,400 electric vehicles.

RenewableUK’s Director of Future Electricity Systems, Barnaby Wharton, highlighted key points:

• UK's battery storage pipeline has expanded by two-thirds for the second consecutive year, reflecting significant investor interest in the rapidly growing market.
• While progress has been made, meeting the government's target of 55GW of short-term flexibility by 2035 remains a challeng
• Co-locating battery projects with onshore wind and solar farms can reduce electricity system costs, benefiting consumers in the long term.
• The need for streamlined planning processes and reforms in financial support mechanisms to accelerate the deployment of battery projects and drive down costs.

Battery storage plays a crucial role in ensuring the security and flexibility necessary for our future energy system to be resilient and reliable. Effective utilization of battery storage also offers cost savings and benefits for businesses and consumers by allowing energy generated during high production periods to be stored and utilized during peak demand times.

The report is released to align with RenewableUK’s annual Grid & Storage conference held at the Institution of Engineering and Technology in London.