So far, the most common size for energy storage sites has been 50MW (although sites are now being planned larger). However, battery storage capacity tends to be smaller when co-located with solar and other renewables. The planned capacity is becoming increasingly dominated by large-scale projects.
Other storage includes compressed air energy storage, flywheel and thermal storage. Hydrogen electrolysers are not included. Global installed energy storage capacity by scenario, 2023 and 2030 - Chart and data by the International Energy Agency.
The graphic above shows the built capacity of energy storage in the UK by project size by year where 2022 deployment levels exceeded the 2021 annual installed capacity of 617MWh. The first major utility-scale battery storage project was energised in 2017 – a 50MW/25MWh project in Pelham, developed and owned by Statera Energy.
In the first quarter of 2022, the first 50MW/100MWh (50MW with a 2-hour duration) project was installed; Stonehill Energy Storage, developed by Penso Power. UK energy storage deployment had the highest annual installed capacity in 2022 at 569MW/789 MWh. Image: Solar Media Market Research.
Over 2.6GW/4.3GWh of energy storage projects are currently under construction and will be completed within the next 18 months. The annual planned capacity for 2022 is a record-breaking 20.7GW across 295 sites, including some 500MW and 1GW projects.
In 2022, the United Kingdom added a record 800MWh of new utility energy storage capacity, representing the highest annual deployment rate to date. In fact, the UK’s energy storage pipeline increased by 34.5GW in 2022. In 2017, there was only one 50MW project in the UK, whereas in 2021 and 2022, each year saw the installation of nine 50MW projects.