UK renewables

A coalition of organizations are working to position battery-powered vessels on the River Thames to store and feed electricity back into the grid. They say the approach will increase London’s flexible energy capacity and reduce peak electricity demand.

NatPower UK says it will bring over 60 GWh of battery storage online in the UK by 2040. It has already set aside GBP 600 million ($769.8 million) for the development of substations and says large-scale solar and wind projects will be announced later this year.

Industry body the Renewable Energy Association (REA) is calling on the U.K. government to reduce tax on various clean energy technologies and energy efficiency measures in the residential sector, with particular emphasis on battery installations. The association sees this as one of the most effective ways to protect consumers from volatile energy prices, as well as for the country to meet its stated decarbonization goals.

Toshiba Corporation has today said it will abandon plans to build a 3.4 GW nuclear power plant in the United Kingdom. Despite this, the government says it remains committed to its new nuclear path; others say the news leaves room for further renewables development. New statistics, also out today, show the U.K. renewables industry flourishing.

Despite many still believing green energy tariffs are more expensive, U.K.-based uSwitch finds that half of the 10 cheapest tariffs on the market are termed eco-friendly, thus challenging the big six energy suppliers.

Offgem has granted Limejump access to the balancing market via its VPP, meaning renewables can, for the first time, participate. Meanwhile, under its latest consultation on the capacity market, the government is considering granting access to renewables.