Scenario Deployment Analysis for Long Duration Electricity Storage

Regen, in partnership with LCP Delta, undertook a study for DESNZ looking at the role and benefits of varying levels of long duration electricity storage in the GB power system out to 2050.

Regen’s primary role was to engage LDES technology developers (many of whom were ESN members), to understand the capabilities, technical characteristics and operational roles that LDES could bring to the GB power system, to support and validate the assumptions in LCP Delta’s systemic modelling.

The culmination of this engagement and analysis, was a summarising report, published by DESNZ in January 2024:

This report concluded that:

• Adding LDES to the system can have a positive impact on both emissions and system costs, with the duration of deployed LDES being the biggest factor in the size of that impact.
• The capital costs of LDES technologies are critical in determining the net benefits of these technologies. Reducing the capital costs of these technologies increases system benefits.
• LDES can act as a risk mitigation for reduced delivery of other technologies. With lower levels of gas CCS and hydrogen deployment, the Study finds that there are greater emissions and system cost benefits when LDES is added to the system.
• The location of LDES is not a significant driver of LDES benefits to the system. The benefits of locating LDES in the right place are significantly smaller than the overall benefits of adding LDES to the system.
• Overall, Long-Duration Electricity Storage technologies could have a significant impact on providing the flexibility the future GB power system will need, driving reduction of both emissions and system costs.

Regen published a joint article with LCP Delta when the report was launched in January 2024, summarising the analysis.

This work led to the publication of an industry consultation on the policy framework to enable investment in long duration electricity storage, specifically including the introduction of a ‘cap and floor’ commercial mechanism: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/long-duration-electricity-storage-proposals-to-enable-investment

For more information on this project, please contact Ray Arrell.