Western Power Distribution is launching a tender for more demand-side response (DSR) to help balance its networks. The company began a flexibility trial in the Midlands last year, which went live in April this year. It now seeks expressions of interest from half-hourly metered businesses that can cut consumption or increase generation in Rugeley, Northampton, Read more…
Anesco’s Steve Shine: Battery storage isn’t ‘merchant risk’, it’s just merchant
Anesco executive chairman Steve Shine said the developer plans to keep more of its battery assets to fund new projects “because the returns we are seeing are good”. He also suggested the market should stop dwelling on the “merchant risk” that is frightening debt investors and instead get used to a merchant model that can Read more…
Give us your views on DSR and storage
The Energyst needs end user views on battery storage and demand-side response to inform its annual DSR Report. The aim is to provide a snapshot of the challenges and opportunities from an end-user perspective – a genuine picture of the state of play. Does your business provide demand-side response, what assets do you harness and Read more…
BT cuts £29m from energy bill, reduces CO2 emissions 8.9%
BT shaved a further £29m from its energy bill in the year to 31 March. The telco also cut worldwide CO2 equivalent emissions by 8.9%. BT’s annual report states it has made cumulative energy cost savings of around £250m since 2009/10. Despite cutting overall energy consumption by 1.7% in 2017/18, the firm spent around £370m on Read more…
Nissan: Vehicle to grid services will not drain EV batteries
Nissan has countered suggestions that providing vehicle to grid services using electric vehicles (EVs) will leave customers with empty batteries. Some prominent EV owners, such as Energy Managers Association CEO Lord Redesdale, have suggested that the idea of using EV batteries as energy storage is “complete crap”, because owners will be reluctant to lose power Read more…
Pivot makes huge play for 2GW battery storage and mass EV charging network
Pivot Power has unveiled highly ambitious plans to build 2GWs of battery storage connected directly to the transmission network. The start-up aims to use dozens of 49.9MW batteries to balance the grid and simultaneously charge entire car parks of electric vehicles within minutes. The company has backing for the initial phase of its plan from Read more…
Electrifying heat: Too expensive, or too little ambition?
Electrification of heat was seen as a key policy objective in the early part of this decade, but appears to have receded in recent years, largely on grounds of cost of meeting winter peak demand. The government and much of industry now talk about a ‘whole systems approach’ that involves greener gases, such as hydrogen Read more…
Ecotricity launches aggregator business, targets generators and business customers
Green energy supplier Ecotricity has launched an aggregation business model after striking a deal with German virtual power plant (VPP) platform provider Next Kraftwerke. The supplier now targets renewables generators, storage owners and business customers to help balance its own position and to use their flexibility within contracted and ‘merchant’ markets. Ecotricity head of smart Read more…
Hydrogen: the great white hope for decarbonisation?
Hydrogen is seen as a key option for decarbonising gas and therefore heat. Some studies suggest it could reduce emissions from heat by almost three quarters, while also helping to decarbonise transport, power and industry. So what’s the catch? The Committee on Climate Change has repeatedly called for “proper” hydrogen trials so that decisions on Read more…
Energy firms eyeing ‘tokenisation’ models, says Energi Mine CEO
Energi Mine, the energy consultancy developing a blockchain-based energy efficiency rewards platform, says it is in discussions with half a dozen energy companies about ‘tokenising’ parts of the energy chain. CEO Omar Rahim said most of those discussions revolve around “energy and carbon trading”, though he believes that ultimately, “everything will be tokenised”. In simple Read more…