Thames Freeport - Britain's Trading Future

[ 70 ] I N T E R G E N In 2020, the UK Government set out ambitious plans for an accelerated transition to net zero carbon dioxide emissions, including the quadrupling of offshore wind generation by 2030. Finding a cheap and efficient way to store this electricity is the most significant goal for the energy sector, as this would enable wind and solar power to be saved and used constantly, not just when sunshine and wind are readily available. The UK is considered among world leaders in the large scale energy storage sector. BESS (Battery energy storage systems) are relatively new at such a large scale. The cost of lithium- ion batteries, such as those used in mobile phones and electric vehicles, has fallen by more than 80 per cent in the last decade, making such large scale storage solutions commercially viable in the UK. In the UK in 2020, renewable generation produced a record 41 per cent of the electricity supply and the challenge of balancing the grid has become ever more pressing. It is estimated that the UK will need up to 40 GW of large scale battery storage systems by 2050 to meet the demands placed on the grid by net zero operations. BESS projects make an important contribution to the transition to net zero by providing zero-emission flexibility to help balance and manage the electricity system. InterGen’s Gateway battery storage system — set to be the largest developed in Europe and one of the largest in the world — will import electricity (for example during times of high wind and available sunlight) and export it at a later time. By smoothing imbalances between supply and demand, batteries can replace fossil fuel ‘peaker’ plants that come into effect for a few hours per day when energy demands soar. As such, widespread energy storage could be key to expanding the reach of renewables and speeding the transition to a carbon-free power grid. One of the biggest challenges facing the electricity sector in the UK today is how to decarbonise while maintaining a secure, stable supply to power homes and businesses. InterGen’s Coryton plant (above and left) has been operational in the region for 20 years The location of the Thames Freeport and its proximity to sound, existing energy infrastructure such as power grids, as well as a large volume of offshore wind projects expected to come on stream in the 2020s, will be an attractive proposition to companies wishing to locate in the Freeport area