How many battery energy storage systems are there in the UK?

Towards the end of 2023, the UK had 3.5GW of battery storage capacity. That’s 3,500,000 watts. Although a large number, this is still very small in the grand scheme of things. At the time of writing, there are over 1,000 battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in the pipeline. These are growing in size too.

What role does energy storage play in the UK's electricity system?

It is clear that the role of energy storage within the UK’s electricity system is recognised, but the current level is still a small proportion of what is expected over the next 10 years: National Grid scenarios indicate up to 8 GW of new storage capacity is needed by 2030.

How big is energy storage in the UK?

According to Modo statistics, the cumulative installed capacity of large-sized energy storage in the UK has surged from 0.01GW in 2016 to an impressive 1.93GW by the end of 2022. Projections indicate that by the close of 2026, the cumulative installed capacity for local large-sized energy storage in the UK is expected to reach 13GW.

What happened to battery energy storage in the UK in 2024?

Around 1.5GW of battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity was completed in the UK in 2024, 28% lower than in 2023. The average size of project increased year-on-year, from 52MWh to 62MWh. BESS capacity submitted for planning applications also fell, down 21% by the number of projects and down 40% by the MWh capacity.

How many MW of new energy storage capacity has been deployed?

BEIS has also just published figures that show over 600 MW of new energy storage capacity was deployed in the last five years (see figure below). We are mapping progress through the UK Energy Storage Observatory (UKESTO) as part of the £5m EPSRC-funded Multi-scale Analysis for Facilities for Energy Storage (MANIFEST) project.

Will energy storage be installed in the UK in 2024?

Projections for New Installations of Energy Storage in the UK for 2024 However, a pivotal change occurred on July 19, 2023, when the European Parliament officially endorsed the Electricity Market Design Reform Programme.