This pioneering spirit evolved with the advent of new renewables, such as solar and wind, which are not, however, programmable. Technological advances aim to make even this energy available at all times through BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems), which store it for release when necessary.
In related news, in England, Balance Power has secured planning approval from the UK government for its planned 49.5 MW/99 MWh Hinckley BESS project in south-west Leicestershire. The project is expected to prevent around 9,000 t/y of CO 2 emissions.
Giga Storage said it aims to deliver 5 GW of BESS projects in Europe by 2030. Projects such as the 300 MW/1,200 MWh BESS in the Delfzijl region in the Netherlands are already under development, and the company expects to announce several more projects in various European countries in the coming years.
The BESS Consortium is a multi-stakeholder partnership set up to ensure these BESS benefits transform energy systems across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Consortium is on track to meet its target of securing 5 GW of BESS commitments by the end of 2024 and deploying these by the end of 2027.
Economies of scale, improved supply chains, and the UK Government’s removal of the cap on nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIP) have contributed to the increase in size of BESS projects being proposed.
Projects such as the Smeaton BESS will be key to bringing these costs down, says Kona Energy. With the nearby Torness nuclear power station due to shut down in 2028, the project will also play a key role in improving local network stability, it adds.