A recently launched electricity storage facility in the West Midlands, claimed by its owner to be capable of powering a small town, is now operational. This facility houses a total of 76 large batteries designed to store electricity, which can be discharged into the National Grid when the demand for energy exceeds its supply.
EDF, the owner of the facility, asserts that it plays a vital role in their efforts to enhance green energy production and reduce the United Kingdom’s dependence on coal and gas. Situated near the junction of the M6 and M5 highways, this facility is part of an expanding network covering the Nation.
While conventional fossil fuel power generation can be swiftly adjusted in response to fluctuations in demand, renewable energy must be stored for later use, such as when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing. EDF has stated that, apart from addressing grid demand, the facility will also be able to offer high-powered electric vehicle charging stations in the vicinity.
Despite the site officially being within a green belt area, it received approval from Sandwell Council in 2020 with no objections from local residents. A report submitted to council members argued that the advantages of renewable energy production in an area bounded by a motorway and an existing substation outweighed any potential drawbacks.
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Similar projects in other parts of the country have faced controversies, primarily regarding fire risks, exemplified by a fire that raged at a plant in Liverpool for several days in 2020, leading Merseyside fire authorities to classify it as a “significant incident.” EDF’s plans for the Sandwell site contended that the risk of fire was “highly improbable.”
Matthew Boulton, the director of solar storage at EDF, highlighted the importance of these facilities in transitioning the country away from coal and gas-fired power stations. He notes that most of them would be phased out by 2030 and the transition to renewables would necessitate solutions to balance supply and demand.
The International Energy Agency emphasises that the use of battery storage must increase significantly to meet net-zero targets, with one scenario requiring a 35-fold worldwide increase by 2030.
The Sandwell site, officially inaugurated by West Midlands mayor Andy Street last week, is linked to the National Grid through the nearby Bustleholme substation. Street expressed his belief that the region is at the forefront of the green industrial revolution and that this project is a pivotal step toward delivering clean power to homes.
EDF Renewables estimates that the facility can sustain the power needs of 100,000 households for up to two hours during periods of reduced energy production. The UK’s network of such facilities is continuing to expand, with another one scheduled to go live in Coventry in December this year.
EDF also envisions that its plants will eventually contribute 2 gigawatts of the 30 gigawatts projected by the National Grid to be needed from such facilities by 2050.
Source
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-67226773
https://www.iea.org/energy-system/electricity/grid-scale-storage