Q: Please briefly explain your role, involvement and experience with regards to energy storage?
Jonathan May, Siemens Energy (JM): My role involves the provision of products and solutions that stabilise the grid. The stabilisation requirements stem from rising demands for electricity from renewable generation and the associated effects on the transmission grid asset performance and grid management. My role has more emphasis on stabilisation however energy storage is an important factor to understand and to learn how it can complement now and into the future.
Maxine Thompson and Gary Daniels, Jacobs (MT, GD): Jacobs have worked with multiple clients, through various design stages of their proposed energy storage systems sites. Jacobs have worked on small- and large-scale battery energy storage systems, all presenting unique combinations of fire risks, including access to firefighting water, access for the Fire and Rescue Service, external fire spread, and risks specific to BESS manufacturers. Jacobs have produced fire safety studies, fire safety statement for planning, emergency response plans and ultimately fire safety cases.
Varnika Agarwal, Rho Motion (VA): As a Battery Research Analyst within Rho Motion, a pioneering research-based consulting house in London, my role revolves around battery technology. My focus spans from BESS, recycling to EV battery technologies, all aligned with the overarching goal of electrification. My PhD in solid-state battery from University of Oxford gives me the confidence to understand the innovations happening in the field.
Q: What, in your experience, has been the biggest roadblock in this sector?
JM: My time in Grid Technologies has been short to date (only around 1 year) however it appears to me there are challenges around linking energy storage in Grid projects particularly in the grid code compliance and safety perception domains.
MT, GD: The biggest roadblock has been the lack of UK guidance and legislation specific to BESS. The National Fire Chief Council (NFCC) Grid Scale Battery Energy Storage System Planning – Guidance for FRS was approved in 2023 and provides design restrictions for BESS, in which some recommendations are based of ATEX risks, which is often not applicable to BESS sites. The publication of this guidance has caused unnecessary design restrictions to BESS sites, Jacobs have provided comments to the NFCC to update their guidance.
VA: From my perspective, a major challenge in this sector has been the substantial upfront costs linked to implementing large-scale energy storage projects. These expenses encompass not just acquiring battery systems but also installing them, integrating with current energy infrastructure, and maintaining them over time. Furthermore, regulatory hurdles and ambiguities surrounding grid connections, participation in energy markets, and revenue generation for energy storage projects have presented significant barriers to broader adoption.
Q: What key topics are you excited to discuss at this year's event?
JM: Excited to discuss the topics around Energy storage from both an electrical power generation re-purposing perspective and the grid connected perspective.
MT, GD: We are excited to discuss lessons learnt, specifically discussing client-side involvement within the safety case process. We are also looking forward to discussing the HAZID analysis process, and its importance and relevance within the project lifecycle.
VA: This year, I am excited to discuss the different technological advances for BESS systems. I will consider the potential benefits and challenges of LFP/ cell optimisation, sodium-ion, flow batteries commercialisation and the market impact with a forward-looking forecast. I will also discuss the essential components in BESS systems.
Q: Regarding Energy Storage, what would you say are the technologies or applications to watch for the future?
JM: Potentially around the predictive modelling and monitoring of Energy storage release both in terms of the time frames and associated parameters required for release.
MT, GD: The IEA identified lithium-ion batteries as the fastest growing storage technology in the world. Hydro storage and green hydrogen energy storage are hindered by geographies required to support them. Other technologies being explored are ‘no-water’ hydropower, concrete batteries and metal blocks.
VA: When it comes to energy storage, the technologies and applications to watch for the future include advancements in lithium-ion batteries for grid-scale storage, the development of sodium-ion batteries for improved safety and lower costs, the emergence of flow batteries for long-duration energy storage, and the exploration of novel materials.
Additionally, the developments in energy managements software is an important area to keep an eye on as well.
Q: Who else are you most interested in hearing from on the programme?
JM: I am interested to hear and learn from those involved with projects related to conventional re-purposing of energy storage into the grid as well as unconventional grid connections and how the use of energy storage is used particularly around decarbonisation and net-zero aims and projects.
MT, GD: We are interested in hearing from Paul Verrill, who will be discussing Advanced cooling techniques. Cooling of the batteries plays a vital role with controlling over heating of batteries and subsequently helping to mitigate against thermal runaway.
VA: I am looking forward to the panel discussion on “Exploring the opportunities and challenges posed by alternative energy storage technologies”. As, diversification of the market and reducing reliance on one technology is the key forward to the future and I would love to hear views from people from the industry on this topic.
Q: Why is it important for engineers to join this event?
JM: I think it is important for engineers to join in order to bring a practical and balanced view of the constraints/possible barriers, challenges, opportunities and future development around the subject. Coupling a practical solution-based approach and the holistic view on energy future requirements on energy storage is where engineers can play a vital role. This will be towards shaping products and solutions so that they are sustainable both technically and economically.
MT, GD: BESS technology is a developing technology with minimal guidance and legislation. It is important that persons working within the industry come together to share findings and lessons learnt.
VA: This talk will provide an insight into chemistry for BESS with an overview of the current market status and predictions for the development of the technology into commercialisation. The purpose of the presentation is not a sales pitch but to provide the audience with information to promote discussion on an emerging technology that is a hot topic in the industry. The data disclosed will help to create an informative picture of the state of the market and our informed predictions.
The Energy Storage 2024: Batteries and beyond – innovating for grid-scale storage seminar will be taking place on 24 April at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.
Join this event to hear presentations from EDF Energy, National Grid ESO, Energy Systems Catapult, Encora Energy, Jacobs, Balance Power, Siemens Energy, Kyoto Group, Drax and Centrica Energy Storage + covering the following topics:
- Lessons learned addressing and overcoming grid-scale storage challenges
- Understanding battery energy storage limitations and the different strategies to overcome these
- Exploring the opportunities and challenges posed by alternative energy storage technologies
To book your place, please visit the event website.