UKPN is undertaking a two year trial of large-scale storage with the largest battery on the UK electricity system at its Smarter Network Storage (SNS) project facility at Leighton Buzzard to explore ways to maximise the value of storage.
The project is only half-way through but already has made a number of recommendations on future regulatory and market frameworks for storage to the Department for Energy and Climate Change and Ofgem including a change in classification of storage to a licenced activity.
UKPN’s head of future networks Martin Wilcox said: “Energy storage is not explicitly recognised as a discrete activity or asset class – unlike with the gas industry – and it is currently classed as ‘generation.’
“We recommend it be classified as a distinct ‘licensed’ activity to provide clarity within the regulatory framework for storage, recognising its distinct characteristics, and also removing some of the barriers to wider adoption of storage.”
The Energy and Climate Change select committee also heard yesterday in an evidence session how allowing DNOs to own and operate storage would be a “really positive step” to removing barriers to storage uptake.
However Tempus Energy’s chief executive Sara Bell slammed the concept saying DNOs were “not known for their innovative approach”.
UKPN has also recommended reconsidering current charging methods, developing arrangements for treatment of storage investment within price controls, and considering appropriate reactive power support mechanisms.
The 6MW/10MWh “big battery” has already supported National Grid for more than 1700 hours and fed the local electricity network on more than 100 occasions despite some teething issues, such as due to the high frequency operation of the network.
Last week Western Power Distribution announced it has joined with British Solar Renewables (BSR) and the National Solar Centre to build the first embedded battery storage project that will deliver ancillary services to a DNO.