DESNZ said the LDES investment scheme “could see the first significant long duration energy storage (LDES) facilities in nearly four decades, helping to create back up renewable power and bolster the UK’s energy security.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has announced a long duration energy storage (LDES) cap and floor investment scheme to help bring forward more energy storage schemes. DESNZ said the scheme would be administered by Ofgem and is intended to support a significant uplift in the UK’s energy storage capacity.
Long Duration Electricity Storage investment support scheme will boost investor confidence and unlock billions in funding for vital projects. The UK is a step closer to energy independence as the government launches a new scheme to help build energy storage infrastructure.
We're consulting on the policy framework to enable investment in long duration electricity storage. Long duration electricity storage can provide an important contribution to decarbonising our energy system. For example, it can store renewable power and discharge it during periods of low wind.
Longer duration storage can support a future energy system with high proportions of renewable energy by providing flexible energy supply and demand, and increasing the resilience of energy networks.
Other technologies, such as liquid air energy storage, compressed air energy storage and flow batteries, could also benefit from the scheme. Studies suggest that deploying 20GW of LDES could save the electricity system £24bn between 2025 and 2050, potentially reducing household energy bills as reliance on costly natural gas decreases.