The UK’s newly-established National Infrastructure Commission has launched a call for evidence on energy supply and demand with a focus on interconnection and storage.
The NIC is seeking evidence on how changes to existing market frameworks, increased interconnection and new technologies in demand-side management and energy storage can better balance supply and demand.
The call will examine the most appropriate scale for future energy storage technologies in the UK, as well as specific market failures and/or barriers that prevent investment in energy storage not faced by other balancing technologies and how these might be overcome.
The NIC is also asking for evidence on the level of electricity interconnection likely to be in the best interests of UK consumers and whether there is a case for building interconnection out to a greater capacity or more rapidly than the current ‘cap and floor’ regime would allow beyond 2020.
Submissions and evidence are due by 8 January 2016. The NIC has been asked to publish its report before next year’s Budget.
NIC interim chair Lord Andrew Adonis said: “The NIC will look broadly at long-term needs and provide impartial advice to government and Parliament.”
The NIC was established by Chancellor George Osborne last month.
Image: Amber Rudd tours energy storage project (UK Power Networks)
