SSE Renewables has today reiterated its plans to build a major new £1bn-plus electricity storage facility, and called for policy action to boost long-duration energy storage (LDES).
The company welcomed the UK government’s commitment within its new Energy Strategy to develop appropriate policy to encourage investment in such projects.
A modified cap and floor mechanism, based on what was introduced to stimulate investment into interconnectors, could unlock investment into LDES projects, it said.
The proposed Coire Glas pumped hydro storage project in the Highlands of Scotland could deliver 1.5GW and 30 gigawatt-hours of long duration storage by 2030, the company said.
Long-duration energy storage technologies will not only play a major role in significantly reducing the UK’s reliance on imported gas, and supporting the UK government’s ambitions to supercharge renewables, but they will also deliver massive efficiency gains to the UK grid – helping to lower consumer energy bills, SSE said.
Coire Glas, located on the shores of Loch Lochy near Invergarry, would be the first large-scale pumped storage scheme to be developed in the UK for more than 30 years.
It would double the current amount of electricity storage capacity in Great Britain and create energy storage capacity equivalent to powering around 3 million homes for up to 24 hours.
SSE Renewables recently selected Strabag UK as the preferred tenderer to carry out the exploratory works at the site.
These works, scheduled to begin in the summer, will provide essential information on the nature of underground conditions at the location which would be used to inform the final design of the project.
SSE Renewables director of onshore Europe Finlay McCutcheon said: “We’re pleased that government has recognised within the Energy Strategy the important role that technologies like pumped storage will play in enabling a net zero electricity system by providing critical flexibility and backup.
“We recently took a step forward with our Coire Glas pumped hydro scheme project by appointing a preferred tenderer to carry out the initial phase of development work.
“The next step is for the government to make a decision on policy support following their call for evidence on long-duration energy storage on addressing barriers to LDES deployment.
“The swift introduction of an adapted Cap and Floor mechanism this year could unlock investment into Coire Glas, which could be operational by the end of the decade.
“This would create thousands of skilled jobs to support the government’s levelling up agenda and its 2035 decarbonisation commitment.
“Critically, this would not require taxpayer funding and we stand ready to invest.”