SSE Renewables welcomes new UK smart systems and flexibility plan
SSE Renewables has welcomed the recognition from both the UK’s government and energy regulator of the role pumped storage hydropower can play in providing the flexibility needed for the country’s energy network to meet net zero.
The new Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan, jointly published today by the UK Government and Ofgem, sets out how cutting-edge smart technologies will ensure the lights stay on and energy bills are cut, as UK demand for electricity intensifies while fossil fuels are phased out.
The Plan identifies pumped storage hydropower as one of the flexible energy technologies that can ensure the UK’s supply of clean electricity from renewable sources is secured. It sets out how flexible technologies, including large-scale and long-duration electricity storage from projects such as SSE Renewables’ Coire Glas pumped storage scheme in the Scottish Highlands, can be part of a new UK energy system to help the country meet its world-leading commitments to tackle climate change by 2050.
SSE Renewables is progressing the development of its Coire Glas pumped storage hydropower project in Scotland’s Great Glen. It is the first large-scale pumped storage scheme to be developed in the UK for more than 30 years and would more than double Great Britain’s existing electricity storage capacity. If built, Coire Glas would have capacity to generate up to 1500MW of electricity with 30GWh of storage – enough to power around 3 million UK homes for up to 24 hours non-stop.
The new Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan goes on to say that investment in new smart and flexibility energy systems can help reduce consumer bills and create new jobs. Unleashing the full potential of smart systems and flexibility in the UK’s energy sector could reduce the costs of managing the system by up to £10 billion a year by 2050, as well as generating up to 10,000 jobs for system installers, electricians, data scientists and engineers.
The Plan delivers on the commitments made by the Government in the Energy White Paper and represents a significant step forward on the path to providing flexibility for the UK energy network.
The Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan updates the previous plan launched in 2017. A separate call for evidence on enabling large-scale and long-duration electricity storage technologies, including pumped storage hydropower, has also been published and runs until 28 September 2021.
SSE Renewables looks forward to responding to the UK Government and Ofgem’s call for evidence in due course as part of its wider commitment to supporting the creation of a new smart and flexible energy system for the country to meet net zero.