Long duration energy storage (LDES) support scheme will have eight-hour minimum. First application round opens to well-established technologies, such as lithium-ion battery technology, with at least 100 MW capacity in April 2025. Flow batteries, compressed air, and liquid air likely to progress in second round, says regulator.

University of Sheffield research finds agrivoltaics could be key to addressing land-use conflicts in England. Paper authors tell pv magazine a better understanding of how top UK crops perform alongside PV installations is needed, and farmer input is crucial.

Ambitious capacity targets and diverse revenue opportunities support case for battery energy storage system (BESS) investment in key European markets, new report from Aurora Energy Research finds. The fourth edition battery markets report also predicts Europe’s grid-scale BESS fleet will reach 55 GW by 2030.

Developers apply for development consent order to build new utility-scale project in England. The solar project is a first for Orsted in the UK market and is one of four large-scale solar plants developed by PS Renewables in the United Kingdom.

Revised data brings annual PV additions to 1.3 GW for 2024, putting 18 GW of total deployed capacity within touching distance. However, a significant increase in deployment speed is essential to hit UK government clean energy targets for 2030.

Oil and gas giant BP wants to sell stake in Lightsource BP just four months after completing full takeover of the renewables developer. New “strategy reset” will also cut company’s investment in energy transition by $5 billion per year.

Two solar and storage projects in development near Wrexham, North Wales, will supply power to a nearby sewage treatment works. Construction work on both sites is due to “commence shortly,” according to the developer.

Spring 2025 power purchase agreement (PPA) negotiations should take greater account of risk, according to a new report from LCP Delta’s Power Insights service. The research firm has warned that setting strike prices too high could leave offtakers out of pocket, risking future agreements that are key to supporting solar deployment.

Consultation ahead of seventh Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation round proposes longer contract lengths in a bid to reduce strike prices and lower cost of finance for renewables projects. A wider target commissioning window for solar projects is also proposed, in response to larger capacity plants in the pipeline.

Almost 5,000 heat pump installations in January 2025 mark the strongest start to a year on record. It follows a record-breaking 2024 for UK heat pump installations. Batteries and residential solar installations are also up on January 2024 levels.