The progress of the battery storage industry in the UK is continuing, with reports suggesting that the pipeline of battery storage projects in the UK has increased by two-thirds in capacity over the last year. The EnergyPulse Energy Storage report by RenewableUK indicates that the total pipeline of battery projects has increased from 57.1GW to 95.6GW in the last year, representing an increase of over 67%.

The total pipeline of projects includes those already operational, under construction or secured consent and others in the planning stage. Based on data from RenewableUK, over 30GW of capacity has received consent, and an additional 30GW is in the development phase but is yet to be submitted for planning permission. 

The size of individual battery storage projects has continued increasing over the last few years. RenewableUK states that the average project capacity submitted for planning approval has increased from 27MW in 2019 to 80MW, equating to a 196% increase. This capacity rise comes at a time when the battery storage market has prioritised technological advances in an attempt to play a critical role in the UK’s energy transition, providing storage for intermittent supplies of energy from renewables. Further efforts are needed to strengthen the UK Government’s battery strategy and ensure the industry can achieve its expectations.

The battery strategy released at the end of last year states that the UK will require approximately 6GWh of grid storage capacity by 2040 to satisfy the demand level. Grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) are viewed by the Government to be a vital part of battery technology, and RenewableUK believes battery storage will play a critical role in the UK’s energy transition.

Barnaby Wharton, director of future electricity systems at RenewableUK, explained that batteries play a vital role in ensuring electricity supply continues to meet demand. Wharton admits that while battery projects have increased, the industry still has a way to 55GW of short-term flexibility the Government stated we require by 2035. Wharton believes the UK can accelerate this uptake by speeding up the consenting and connecting vital energy storage projects to the grid.

The latest report indicates that, by building more battery projects along with onshore wind and solar, the electricity system costs will be reduced by sharing land and grid connections, which will benefit billpayers. 

By strengthening the planning system and introducing financial support measures to encourage more battery projects to be based at sites where clean electricity is generated, we can lower the building and operational costs of batteries considerably.

A quarter of renewable energy professionals worldwide have secured a significant pay rise in the last year, as the industry focused on reducing talent from leaving the market to pursue other opportunities in technology or fossil fuels, as their skills continue to be in more demand.

The latest Global Energy Talent Index (GETI) explored the opinions of 12,000 energy industry professionals and discovered that an increasing green skills gap is putting individuals with renewable energy experience in even more demand. The study found that just over 50% of low-carbon energy professionals secured a pay rise last year, and 24% of the workforce stated that the increase exceeded 5%. The increases were recorded as more significant and frequent for engineers and hiring managers.

Confidence in salary was also high in the report despite the current economic challenges, with over 65% of clean energy professionals expecting a pay rise before the end of the year. For a large majority, the average pay remains the highest in North America for contract-based positions and in Australasia for in-house professionals. The report believes this trend in salary increases is partly the requirement for pay to maintain pace with rising inflation and interest rates and with businesses focusing on retaining and supporting employees during economic challenges. The other influential factor is the increased competition for green talent.

Over 30% of clean energy professionals stated they had been headhunted six or more times in the last year, and 40% said they were open to moving to another energy market. The power market was considered the most popular for a possible move, but 40% stated they would be willing to work in the oil and gas industry.

Transforming markets with digital technology

The study discovered that technology is considered the top industry of choice for a career change for clean energy professionals. Over 30% of respondents said they would consider moving to a technology business. The report explains that the digitalisation of renewables is creating an overlap of skills with the technology market, including rapidly emerging skills associated with artificial intelligence (AI). Over 33% of renewable energy professionals use AI often at work, with adoption levels higher than in other energy markets. A further 13% intend to adopt AI technologies this year.

The most popular application of AI in renewables is the automation of project management processes, like staff collaboration. Many companies are utilising data analytics to strengthen energy production and energy efficiency. Many respondents in the study stated that they consider AI adoption as beneficial for their skills and career development. 60% believe AI will improve career progression and think AI will be a critical supportive tool at work rather than a replacement for human capabilities.

The renewables industry welcomes the benefits of AI, with many businesses enhancing performance and inspiring others to follow a similar path. In a rapidly evolving sector, individuals are actively exploring new technologies to enable further progression and improve their work-life balance. Renewable energy businesses will need to stay connected with AI to retain talent. 

According to a new study from Carbon Brief, fossil-fuel-powered electricity in the UK declined by 22% in 2023 to its lowest level since 1957. Interpreting data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) Energy Trends with Balancing Mechanisms Report, the Carbon Brief discovered that electricity generated by fossil fuels has declined by two-thirds (199TWh) to 104 TWh since peaking in 2008. Within this, coal decreased by 97% (199TWh) and gas by 45% (80TWh).

The continued decline of coal and gas

In total, fossil fuels accounted for 33% of the UK’s electricity generation last year, gas represented 31%, coal 1% and oil just under 1%. Carbon Brief highlighted the considerable decline in fossil fuels within the UK electricity mix compared to 1957 when fossil fuels represented nearly 97% of total electricity generated. This figure remained relatively balanced until the increase of nuclear power began in the late 50s, replacing a segment of the fossil fuel market.

Even with the rise in nuclear capacity, fossil fuels still provided 76% of the UK’s electricity in 2008, with gas making up 45% of the total energy mix and coal 30%. In 2023 however, gas generated 98TWh (a decrease of 80TWh from 2008), and coal produced 4TWh, representing a 115TWh reduction since 2008. Data suggest that coal has nearly disappeared from the UK’s electricity mix, with only one coal power station remaining active in 2023.

What else created the significant decline in electricity generated by fossil fuels last year? Carbon Brief suggested that this decline was down to two factors: the considerable rise of renewables, which has increased by 113TWh from 2008 and a reduction in the electricity demand, which dropped by over 20% since 2008. According to the Carbon Brief, the combination of these two factors had a significant impact on electricity generated by fossil fuels.

The rise in renewables

According to a study by Carbon Brief, renewable electricity output increased from 23TWh in 2008 to 135TWh in 2023, matching the record output in 2022. Electricity generated by renewables last year consisted of: 14TWh solar, 82TWh wind, 5TWh hydro and 35TWh bioenergy

Studies by Rystad Energy indicated that the rate of solar installations in Britain tripled in 2023, with 2.9 GW of domestic and utility-scale solar installed between 2022 and September 2023. The study also highlighted that the solar installation rate in 2023 meant the installed capacity was higher than in the previous six years combined.

The accelerated rate of solar is likely to continue rising, with expectations for solar capacity to exceed 25GW by 2025. Carbon Brief also emphasised the decline in demand reduction as a major influence on low carbon generation in 2023. The organisation highlighted that demand dropped by over 20% and speculated that this was due to the UK moving towards a predominantly service-led economy and the implications of high wholesale gas prices. These factors have contributed to the UK generating the lowest-carbon electricity mix since records began.

Despite a positive decline in the dependence on fossil fuels, Carbon Brief warned that current figures are still some way off the government’s target for 95% low electricity by 2030 and achieving a fully decarbonised grid by 2035.