UK unveils 28 million pound fund for long duration energy storage

The UK government has announced a 28 million pound fund designed to accelerate the development of ultra long duration energy storage. The initiative, led by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in partnership with UK Research and Innovation, aims to establish a network of storage technologies capable of supplying electricity for a minimum of 100 hours. This move is intended to reduce national reliance on natural gas while bolstering overall energy security.

A spokesperson for the department stated that while the gas system will remain important for decades, improved energy storage is a vital component of the transition to clean, homegrown energy. This shift is expected to shield the nation from international supply chain issues and address the climate crisis. The government anticipates that ultra long duration storage will allow excess renewable electricity to be retained during periods of high generation and dispatched when the grid requires it. The strategy relies on two primary technology areas to achieve this goal.

The first area focuses on developing new battery technologies that can provide energy for over 100 hours. These electrochemical technologies have not yet been commercialised at scale, which the department notes gives the UK an opportunity to secure an early foothold in the market. The second area supports the development and testing of systems that store hydrogen underground and release it when needed. Science minister Chris McDonald indicated that this approach holds the potential to reduce total energy system costs by between 14 billion and 50 billion pounds between 2035 and 2050.

Although underground hydrogen storage is not a new concept in the UK, the new funding could assist projects such as the Storengy Keuper Gas Storage Project in Cheshire. This project plans to store hydrogen across 19 salt caverns as part of the HyNet North West initiative. The announcement signals continued government interest in the hydrogen economy, despite delays to the hydrogen strategy refresh that have paused cash releases for hydrogen allocation round 2 winning projects. Additionally, UK Research and Innovation has outlined an ambition for a 3 million pound fund to support project development studies across electrochemical ultra long duration storage.