Large Scale Storage for Network Services (LSSNS)

The UK has a growing share of sources of energy that are variable or intermittent in their supply of electricity and that cannot provide the same level of system security as conventional power plants. This is leading to increasing constraints on renewable generation, particularly in Northern Ireland, which come at considerable cost to the consumer. Although battery storage solutions exist to address this challenge and have been shown to be commercially viable elsewhere, there remains an issue of access to market in the UK and cautious attitude to new solutions, both of which are barriers to deployment. The proposed project (non binding and subject to contract) is to connect a 10MW Lithium Ion battery array to Northern Ireland’s grid - the largest and only transmission connected battery of its kind in the whole of Europe - in order to work with the transmission system operator and leading academics to monitor, evaluate and substantiate the value of storage in providing flexible services. The project would address any perceived operation concerns and show its value in addressing the energy trilemma, driving the market and catalysing future growth of energy storage.