Energy Systems Catapult welcomes the opportunity to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s consultation into long duration electricity storage.

Key points:

• Long duration electricity storage (LDES) will be important to deliver the flexibility necessary for an efficient low carbon energy system.
• Electricity market reform is needed to provide more accurate market signals to incentivise LDES, alongside outcome-based measures to increase demand.
• While such signals remain insufficient, we have a strong preference for a technology-neutral mechanism to support LDES, and one which gives market participants greatest flexibility.
• Recognising that any mechanism will not be a long-term option, it will be important to design an exit strategy at the outset, so that participants have transparency to plan.
• We have also expressed concerns about the evidence on which the consultation is based. We also disagree with the basis of DESNZ’s definition of LDES as described in the consultation.