The Scottish Government has granted consent for the construction and operation of the Smeaton Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a 228MW:456MWh project near Dalkeith, East Lothian. This development is set to significantly contribute to the decarbonisation of the UK grid, achieving estimated carbon savings of roughly 15,368 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year, according to Kona Energy, the firm providing the energy-storage technology.

The Smeaton BESS will store energy from renewable sources and release it during peak demand, reducing grid constraints and lowering energy costs for consumers. The project’s strategic geographical location will play a critical role in enhancing grid resilience and supporting the UK’s transition to a zero-carbon future.

Using the same methodology as previous Kona assessments, the Smeaton BESS is expected to save 15,368 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in its first year. This is the equivalent of offsetting the emissions from 17,328 average UK homes – not including heating.

The Smeaton BESS is strategically positioned to particularly reduce energy constraints and related costs on the UK grid. National Grid ESO estimates show that constraint costs could reach as high as £3bn in 2029, with the bulk of this coming from curtailing wind in Scotland.

Projects such as the Smeaton BESS are vital in bringing these costs down, reducing bills for consumers and preventing the waste of clean energy generation.

With the nearby Torness nuclear power station due to shut down in 2028, the project will also play a key role in improving local network stability.

The project aligns with Kona Energy’s ongoing work with the Electricity System Operator (ESO) and National Grid to mitigate energy constraints and improve network stability. Kona jointly wrote a proposal paper illustrating how ESO can use batteries to rapidly reduce the public cost of constraints. This was done in partnership with Zenobē, Eku and Field in response to the ESO’s Constraints Collaboration Project.

Kona Energy, advised by Opus Corporate Finance LLP, will shortly be seeking investment to bring the Smeaton BESS project to market. To support the project’s delivery, Dr Lu Zhang, previously with Hithium, a leading Chinese cell manufacturer, has joined Kona Energy as Technical Director. Dr Zhang’s expertise will be vital in maximising the project’s potential and ensuring its successful and speedy implementation.

Andy Willis, Kona Energy Founder, commented:

“This is fantastic news, adding to Kona’s growing portfolio of work. This project represents a significant step forward in decarbonising the UK’s electricity grid while providing tangible and real benefits in terms of cost reduction and energy security. We are eager to collaborate with investors and partners in order to deliver this project on a rapid timescale.”

“Tackling constraint costs is vital in not only bringing down consumer bills and preventing the costly waste of clean generation, but also for retaining public trust in reaching Net Zero. The huge financial burden of prohibiting wind turbines from operating is becoming a more relevant topic in the wider debate – rightly so. Our industry must do more to tackle this, and projects such as the Smeaton BESS will help to significantly reduce the waste involved.”

“Its strategic location will give it a unique role to play in drastically slashing constraint costs and consumer bills – that was one of the key reasons why our development team was so enthusiastic about the project’s potential.”

“I’d like to thank the Scottish Government for their positive engagement on the project, and look forward to working with them again in the future in order to deliver our shared Net Zero goal.”

Zinc-air batteries, smaller than a grain of sand, could help miniscule robots sense and respond to their environment, according to a group from Massachusett’s Institute of Technology (MIT).

A tiny battery could enable the deployment of cell-sized, autonomous robots for drug delivery within the human body, as well as other applications such as locating leaks in gas pipelines.

The new battery, which is 0.1 millimeters long and 0.002 millimeters thick — roughly the thickness of a human hair — can capture oxygen from air and use it to oxidize zinc, creating a current of up to 1 volt. That is enough to power a small circuit, sensor, or actuator, the researchers showed.

“We think this is going to be very enabling for robotics,” said Michael Strano, the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT and the senior author of the study. “We’re building robotic functions onto the battery and starting to put these components together into devices.”

Ge Zhang PhD ’22 and Sungyun Yang, an MIT graduate student, are the lead author of the paper, which appears in Science Robotics.

Powered by batteries
For several years, Strano’s lab has been working on tiny robots that can sense and respond to stimuli in their environment. One of the major challenges in developing such tiny robots is making sure that they have enough power.

Other researchers have shown that they can power microscale devices using solar power, but the limitation to that approach is that the robots must have a laser or another light source pointed at them at all times. Such devices are known as “marionettes” because they are controlled by an external power source. Putting a power source such as a battery inside these tiny devices could free them to roam much farther.

“The marionette systems don’t really need a battery because they’re getting all the energy they need from outside,” Strano says. “But if you want a small robot to be able to get into spaces that you couldn’t access otherwise, it needs to have a greater level of autonomy. A battery is essential for something that’s not going to be tethered to the outside world.”

To create robots that could become more autonomous, Strano’s lab decided to use a type of battery known as a zinc-air battery. These batteries, which have a longer lifespan than many other types of batteries due to their high energy density, are often used in hearing aids.

The battery that they designed consists of a zinc electrode connected to a platinum electrode, embedded into a strip of a polymer called SU-8, which is commonly used for microelectronics. When these electrodes interact with oxygen molecules from the air, the zinc becomes oxidized and releases electrons that flow to the platinum electrode, creating a current.

In this study, the researchers showed that this battery could provide enough energy to power an actuator — in this case, a robotic arm that can be raised and lowered. The battery could also power a memristor, an electrical component that can store memories of events by changing its electrical resistance, and a clock circuit, which allows robotic devices to keep track of time.

The battery also provides enough power to run two different types of sensors that change their electrical resistance when they encounter chemicals in the environment. One of the sensors is made from atomically thin molybdenum disulfide and the other from carbon nanotubes.

“We’re making the basic building blocks in order to build up functions at the cellular level,” Strano says.

Robotic swarms
In this study, the researchers used a wire to connect their battery to an external device, but in future work they plan to build robots in which the battery is incorporated into a device.

“This is going to form the core of a lot of our robotic efforts,” Strano says. “You can build a robot around an energy source, sort of like you can build an electric car around the battery.”

One of those efforts revolves around designing tiny robots that could be injected into the human body, where they could seek out a target site and then release a drug such as insulin. For use in the human body, the researchers envision that the devices would be made of biocompatible materials that would break apart once they were no longer needed.

The researchers are also working on increasing the voltage of the battery, which may enable additional applications.

The research was funded by the US Army Research Office, the US Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and a MathWorks Engineering Fellowship.

In what’s described as a disruptive initiative for the event industry, Morillo Energy Rent, with over 60 years of experience delivering energy solutions, has successfully implemented an innovative energy solution at the Primavera Sound 2024 (Barcelona) music festival, “setting new standards for large-scale events,” according to an announcement from industrial firm Atlas Copco

Faced with the challenge of overhauling the energy consumption model for one of the world’s most anticipated music festivals, Morillo leveraged its expertise in energy management to introduce a combination of battery-based energy storage systems (ESS) and low-consumption Stage V power generators, depending on the specific needs and available resources. This strategic approach enabled the effective provision of energy across various areas of the event, including performance stages, catering, and production.

A key innovation in the project was the use of the recently released ZBP 120-120 and ZBC 250-575 energy storage systems from Atlas Copco in a hybrid solution with power generators, which were instrumental in achieving the project’s ambitious goals. These battery-based units offered advanced features such as remote management capabilities, allowing for centralized control and swift incident prediction and response. They feature a remote two-way connection to the machines and the grid available onsite, ensuring monitoring of the application to reach the highest efficiencies.

All Atlas Copco ESS solutions come with their proprietary energy management system, the ECO ControllerTM, which monitors and oversees the installation to ensure the best performance possible. The innovative controller integrates performance data to optimize energy generation, distribution, and consumption, seamlessly communicating with all components in the installation, including inverters, batteries, solar charge controllers, energy meters, as well as third-party equipment such as generators or loads. The result was a significant reduction in overall fuel consumption, enhanced efficiency, and a notable improvement in the event’s sustainability profile.

“The successful implementation of pioneering energy solutions at Primavera Sound 2024 is a testament to Morillo’s dedication to innovation and our commitment to making a positive impact on the environment,” said Miguel Ángel Artiel Morillo, Technical Director at Morillo Energy Rent. “By working closely with our partners and leveraging the latest technology, we were able to meet the challenge head-on and deliver a solution that sets a new benchmark for the industry.”

The partnership with Atlas Copco played a crucial role in the project’s success, providing Morillo with access to cutting-edge products and collaborative support in designing solutions to new challenges. This collaboration underscored the importance of strategic partnerships in achieving operational goals and meeting environmental regulations.

Diego Moreno, Business Development Manager at Atlas Copco Power and Flow explains, “We stand at the forefront of innovation, pioneering the integration of battery technology within the event sector across Europe and particularly in the South European region. This strategic move signifies a leap towards more efficient and cost-effective operations. Our collaboration with Morillo has been instrumental in this endeavor, setting a new benchmark for excellence and partnership in the industry.”

Primavera Sound is an international music festival that started in Barcelona in 2001. This year’s edition has gathered over 268,000 attendees from 134 different nations, with a record impact of 200 million euros on the town’s economy. Additionally, it takes place in five more cities across the world (Porto, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Asunción, and Montevideo), witnessing not only a revolution in power supply approaches but also setting a precedent for future events worldwide.

By prioritizing sustainability and efficiency, Morillo Energy Rent and Primavera Sound have displayed the tangible benefits of adopting disruptive technologies in the entertainment sector, inspiring others to follow suit. For example, during the summer of 2024, Morillo Energy Rent will introduce Atlas Copco’s energy solutions in some of the most prominent events in Spain, such as Festival Cruilla, Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Icónica Sevilla Fest, Mallorca Live Fest, Afterlife OFF Week Barcelona, and Monegros Desert Festival, among others.

Scottish-headquartered global climate tech company, IES, has created a digital twin of the entire Stirling & Clackmannanshire region, informing an energy masterplan to map its pathway to becoming a carbon-neutral city region.

A digital twin is a dynamic virtual replica of a real-world object – in this case a region – which enables users to test, model, and refine different parameters in real time. In the case of buildings, these factors can include energy usage, renewable energy generation, and heat networks, amongst others.

Deploying its technology, IES developed a digital twin for Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils that covered 3D geometries for every building in the entire region, which spans a significant 2,413 square kilometres. The digital model considers a plethora of factors which affect energy efficiency and emissions, from building fabrics and heating systems to fuel types and usages.

Taking into account both national and regional targets, the digital twin provided evidence-based projections of future energy demands and emissions, informing the critical pathway to reach a net zero energy system across the region.

The Regional Energy Masterplan spans four stages between 2023 and 2045, covering energy efficiency; heat management; and energy generation. Founded on evidence from the digital twin, it underlines which – and in what order – low-carbon energy systems should be deployed across the region to create the most effective results from economic, environmental, and social sustainability perspectives.

IES’ simulations uncovered that carbon emissions produced by the energy used to heat and power the region’s domestic and non-domestic buildings can be reduced by approximately 98% by 2045, when compared against a 2022 baseline, through the actions and projects identified. The project will therefore have a significant impact in achieving Stirling and Clackmannanshire’s area-wide target of net zero by 2045.

Craig McKendrick, public sector lead at global climate tech company, IES, said:

“In a world where energy is vulnerable to socioeconomic and geopolitical factors, and we’re increasingly aware of our climate emergency, energy planning is a major public sector priority. The decisions we make now need to look at the long-term and be informed by the data. Accessing the evidence that intelligent tech now affords can be a game-changer when it comes to planning the route to improved efficiency and reduced emissions.

“This project is a great example of two forward-thinking local authorities choosing to act on insight and ready themselves for the transition the region will need to go through over the course of the next two decades.

“By creating a digital twin of the entire Stirling & Clackmannanshire region, we can see how things are actually working in practice and identify what could be done to make the biggest impact in the most efficient way. It also helps us to model a range of prospective scenarios, identifying potential risks and barriers that could crop up along the journey to 2045.”

Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Chris Kane, also commented: “By transforming our energy use and generation we can protect the natural environment for future generations, reduce fuel poverty and create new skilled jobs in a growing sector.

“Our road map to achieving these ambitions is the Regional Energy Masterplan. The importance of collaboration at the core of the plan, and working with IES has enhanced our understanding of regional energy consumption on our journey to creating a net-zero energy system.

“We look forward to working with IES and other partners in the private and public sectors to successfully deliver the projects within the plan and secure affordable energy for everyone in the region.”

The digital model of Stirling & Clackmannanshire remains live and will be utilised as an ongoing resource for the Councils to test future scenarios and access the data they need to make informed decisions.

Following on from the initial Regional Energy Masterplan project, IES is now developing outline business cases for two large-scale renewable projects for the Councils.

For more information on the project, visit IES’ website: https://www.iesve.com/discoveries/view/43458/stirling-clackmannanshire-energy-masterplan

A nuanced and comprehensive appraisal of the potential risks of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) can help developers and local authorities make more informed planning decisions. Annie Danskin, Associate Director at ITPEnergised, part of SLR, writes.

As the renewable energy sector continues to grow rapidly, the implementation of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) has become increasingly important. These systems play a crucial role in addressing the sector’s ongoing challenge of storing and distributing clean energy. However, they also present unique safety challenges that the industry must address proactively. There is an obvious need to develop an innovative approach to BESS fire risk assessment that goes beyond current regulatory requirements, aiming to inform emergency response plans, enhance safety, build community trust and support the sustainable growth of renewable energy projects.

Public perception and safety concerns
The current planning processes for renewable energy sites such as solar, wind, BESS or hydrogen facilities often focus heavily on risk prevention strategies. While prevention is undoubtedly critical, there is a notable gap in addressing what the potential impacts would be for local communities and the environment if a fire does occur. Fires at BESS sites are now rare due to advancements in guidance, technology and numerous fundamental design and engineering improvements made in recent years. However, public perception of safety often lags behind these advancements. Local communities have expressed concerns about BESS installations and lodged objections to planning applications, citing past incidents of fires involving older battery technologies. Objections can lead to project delays or even cancellations, hindering the broader adoption of renewable energy solutions.

There is therefore a real need to ensure the planning application system provides planning officers, developers, emergency responders and local communities access to a robust risk assessment to contextualise the risks if a fire does occur.

Challenges for fire and rescue teams
An additional concern that has been raised by some fire and rescue teams consulted on planning applications for BESS developments is the number of available entry points to a site in the event of a fire. Thick, smoky plumes can significantly impede visibility, making it challenging for teams to access the site quickly and safely. Due to this, there is a need for clear and concise advice regarding the potential buffer zones where visibility could be impeded around areas where a fire could take place, as this may result in the requirement for additional access points. The plume visibility assessment can inform the Emergency Response Plan of the probability that local road closures would be temporarily required for safety reasons due to poor visibility. The assessment can also indicate areas that may need to be evacuated to protect the public from smoke and other emissions. Potential impact areas are highly dependable on the varying weather and terrain conditions of each site, and each assessment needs to be bespoke depending on its location and surrounding topography.

As well as this, the prediction of the likely mix and concentrations of contaminants in the plume can assist the fire and rescue services to ensure their personnel are provided with the appropriate personal protective equipment, to protect them against exposure to hazardous gases that may be present.

The development of a comprehensive risk assessment methodology that includes dispersion modelling of BESS fires goes beyond standard safety protocols to provide a more thorough understanding of potential risks and their impacts.
Financial Implications for Developers

This nuanced and comprehensive understanding of potential risks enables developers to understand wider constraints that could influence the layout of the site and cause financial, and programme impacts. Knowing how a potential fire is likely to disperse in prevailing meteorological conditions could influence the number of access points required, leading to potential development changes. For example, if a certain area of developable land is planned to accommodate 200 containers with a capacity of 400 megawatts, the need for additional access points might reduce the usable land area, impacting the overall feasibility of the development plan.

The key here is for developers to consider these potential constraints early in the planning process, saving money and time and avoiding additional costs and delays in construction at a later date. By conducting a thorough and robust risk assessment, developers can limit design iterations and demonstrate that due consideration has been given to fire risk to aid in the development of a site-specific emergency response plan.
Improved Decision-Making

Overall, developers and local authorities can make more informed decisions about BESS siting, design and operational procedures, based on a clearer understanding of potential risks. Transparent communication of thorough risk assessments can help address community concerns and build trust in renewable energy projects. Detailed risk assessments provide valuable support for developers during public consultations and planning applications, potentially streamlining the approval process. Additionally, local fire departments and other emergency responders gain access to site-specific information that can improve their response strategies and protect public safety.

Looking towards the future, the renewable energy sector will continue to evolve and grow, and with this, the approach to safety and risk management must also advance. Although enhanced BESS fire risk assessment is not currently a regulatory requirement, it is considered to represent best practice that the industry should embrace and meets the recommendations of the National Fire Chiefs Council. With a robust approach grounded in test data and the use of industry-standard atmospheric dispersion modelling that incorporates local topography and weather conditions, an assessment is typically deliverable within 6-8 weeks.

By taking a proactive stance on safety, we can protect communities and first responders while building the public trust necessary for the continued growth of renewable energy. The renewable energy revolution is well underway and with the right approach to risk assessment and management, we can ensure it proceeds safely and with the full support of communities. As we work towards a cleaner, more sustainable future, we must ensure that safety remains at the forefront of our innovations. By doing so, we can accelerate the adoption of renewable energy technologies while maintaining the highest standards of public safety and the environmental protection we need.

Fractals might solve energy waste in information processing, according to a recent paper from researchers at the University of Utrecht.

What if we could find a way to make electric currents flow, without energy loss? A promising approach for this involves using materials known as topological insulators. They are known to exist in one (wire), two (sheet) and three (cube) dimensions; all with different possible applications in electronic devices. Theoretical physicists at Utrecht University, together with experimentalists at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, have discovered that topological insulators may also exist at 1.58 dimensions, and that these could be used for energy-efficient information processing. Their study was published in Nature Physics on 1 July.

Classical bits, the units of computer operation, are based on electric currents: electrons running means 1, no electrons running means 0. With a combination of 0’s and 1’s, one can build all the devices that you use in your daily life, from cellphones to computers. However, while running, these electrons meet defects and impurities in the material, and lose energy. This is what happens when your device gets warm: the energy is converted into heat, and so your battery is drained faster.

A novel state of matter 
Topological insulators are special materials that allow for the flow of a current without energy loss. They were only discovered in 1980, and their discovery was awarded a Nobel Prize. It revealed a new state of matter: on the inside, topological insulators are insulating, while at their boundaries, there are currents running. This makes them very suitable for application in quantum technologies and could reduce the world energy consumption enormously. There was just one problem: these properties were discovered only in the presence of very strong magnetic fields and very low temperatures, around minus 270 degrees Celsius, which made them not suitable for use in daily life.

Over the past decades, significant progress has been made to overcome these limitations. In 2017, researchers discovered that a two-dimensional, single-atom-thick layer of bismuth displayed all the right properties at room temperature, without the presence of a magnetic field. This advancement brought the use of topological insulators in electronic devices closer to reality.

Romanesco broccoli
The research field received an extra boost in 2022 with a Gravitation grant of more than 20 million euros for the QuMAT consortium. In this consortium, theoretical physicists of Utrecht University, together with experimentalists at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, have now shown that many states without energy loss might exist somewhere in between one and two dimensions. At 1.58 dimensions, for example. It may be difficult to imagine 1.58 dimensions, but the idea is more familiar than you think. Such dimensions can be found in fractal structures, such as your lungs, the network of neurons in your brain, or Romanesco broccoli. They are structures that scale in a different way than normal objects, called “self-similar structures”: if you zoom in, you will see the same structure again and again.

Best of both worlds
By growing a chemical element (bismuth) on top of a semiconductor (indium antimonide), the scientists in China obtained fractal structures that were spontaneously formed, upon varying the growth conditions. The scientists in Utrecht then theoretically showed that, from these structures, zero-dimensional corner modes and lossless one-dimensional edge states emerged. “By looking in between dimensions, we found the best of two worlds,” says Cristiane Morais Smith, who has been leading the theoretical research at Utrecht University. “The fractals behave like two dimensional topological insulators at finite energies and at the same time exhibit, at zero energy, a state at its corners that could be used as a qubit, the building blocks of quantum computers. Hence, the discovery opens new paths to the long-wished qubits.”

Intuition
Interestingly, the discovery was the result of a gut feeling. “When I was visiting Shanghai Jiao Tong University and saw the structures produced by the group, I got very excited,” Morais Smith says. “My intuition was telling me that the structures should exhibit all the right properties.” She then got back to Utrecht and discussed the problem with her students, who were very interested to do the calculations. Together with master student Robert Canyellas, her former PhD candidate Rodrigo Arouca (now at Uppsala University), and current PhD candidate Lumen Eek, the theoretical team managed to explain the experiments and confirm the novel properties.

Uncharted dimensions
In follow-up research, the experimental group in China will try to grow a superconductor on top of the fractal structure. These fractals have many holes, and there are lossless currents running around many of them. Those could be used for energy efficient processing of information. The structures also exhibit zero-energy modes at their corners, thus combining the best of the one-dimensional and two-dimensional worlds, according to Morais Smith. “If this works, it might reveal even more unexpected secrets hidden at dimension 1.58,” she says. “The topological features of fractals really show the richness of going into uncharted dimensions.”

National grid operator ESO announced on 11 June that it will expand its existing Demand Flexibility Service (DFS), and pay UK households who turn down their electricity at any time of the year, not just winter. Renewable energy firm Octopus Energy described it as “a revolutionary change for the UK energy system.”

In effect it means that households can earn “up to hundreds of pounds a year”, in Octopus’s explanation, via simple measures like turning off appliances at times when energy supply is tight and there is a risk of blackouts.

Octopus claims to have been first with the approach in 2022, offering it as a way of avoiding power cuts by paying customers to use less energy when supply is tight. “For households this can be as easy as not using the oven, or delaying turning on the dishwasher and washing machine for a few hours,” said the group, adding: “The company’s ‘Saving Sessions’ scheme has already helped over 2 million customers and paid out over £10 million over the last two winters, while ensuring the lights have stayed on for everyone by freeing up the equivalent of a whole power station’s worth of generation.”

The announcement from ESO makes the scheme a permanent year-round fixture.

Alex Schoch, Global Director of Flexibility, at Octopus Energy said the scheme “rewards hard-working households for cutting their use at peak times, instead of paying big energy companies millions to burn more coal or gas.”

“It’s great to see the system operator now recognises the role consumers can play in balancing the grid all year-round.”

“Octopus will work to expand the service further so that it can also be unleashed in periods when renewable energy is abundant, putting even more money back in customers’ pockets.

“By leveraging households’ ability to save power we can enhance grid stability and reduce the need to burn more fossil fuels, helping to deliver a greener, cheaper energy future for all.”

By Matthew Lumsden, CEO of Connected Energy, a firm with expertise in using batteries for energy storage.

Picture this, it’s Friday night and you’re watching the ever-popular TV game show Family Fortunes. The question comes up: “What items are often discarded when still 75% full?” Stale bread, long forgotten condiments, and unloved cosmetics all come up as popular answers, but how many people would have guessed an EV battery?

The answer is likely close to zero, but the reality is that every year tens of thousands of EV batteries will be retired from vehicles when their capacity drops to around 75%. However, unlike those out-of-date condiments which are destined for the bin, many EV batteries could have a second life by being converted into stationary storage.

With over 100 million EV batteries expected to be retired in the next decade, and a fast-growing energy storage market globally, repurposing spent EV batteries into stationary storage represents an exciting, high-value sector. Indeed, the global energy storage market is set to grow by 21% annually to 2030, according to BNEF while concerns over the supply of critical minerals to manufacture new batteries persist. In addition, extending the battery’s useful life by up to 100% can alleviate the growing challenge for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), who, despite limited recycling facilities, are required by regulation to collect and dispose of EV batteries appropriately.

Repurposing EV batteries into stationary storage
Before Connected Energy repurposes a battery, it must first pass a history and health check, including a physical inspection to ensure it has not been involved in a collision, shows no signs of damage or corrosion, and meets minimum performance criteria. Most second-life battery stock considered by Connected Energy for stationary storage comes from fleet vehicles such as vans via automotive OEMs, as these typically have excellent traceability, good service history, and are available in large quantities. Most fleet vehicles also have predictable daily duty cycles and are charged steadily overnight which makes them relatively homogeneous in terms of use and degradation.

Contrary to early industry expectations, battery degradation has not been as significant as anticipated. Our test data revealed that under normal operating conditions, most second life batteries offer 80-85% efficiency, with theoretical lithium always at the high end of 90% – not dissimilar to what is experienced in a car. Similarly, the data collected on duty cycles is being used to improve prediction capabilities and ensure robust safety processes.

Using second life batteries in stationary storage
Connected Energy’s system controls battery packs in pairs within containerised systems, ranging from 24 to 100 packs depending on the required system capacity, while utility-scale systems are much larger. A control system manages each pair, allowing higher capacity packs to be called upon more frequently so that packs reach the same state of health over time. The system also provides greater levels of dynamism and flexibility, optimising how the batteries are used and monetised.

For example, Nottingham City Council installed 600kW of second life stationary storage at their EV fleet depot to help transform the site’s energy use. The system stores excess electricity from three on-site solar arrays which is then used later to charge their EV fleet and reduce electricity use during peak times. Additionally, the site aims to participate in grid services by trading stored electricity and through vehicle-to-grid services via the 40 bi-directional EV chargers.

Each system is continuously monitored remotely with data on operating temperature, charge, efficiency and exception alerts analysed to assess system health. Machine learning identifies anomalies, trends and relationships between the variables to guide real time operation and maintenance strategies. Operational data can also update models and assumptions to improve future systems, and, in some instances, is shared with OEMs to improve their understanding of battery performance in later life.

The future of second life batteries
The introduction of the Battery Passport in the EU in 2027 will enhance data availability on battery performance and durability, supporting better decision-making at the end of a battery’s first life. Equally, we can expect that the EU Battery Regulation Amendment – which has the goal of achieving sustainable battery lifecycles – to encourage more collaborative ways of working, particularly between battery OEMs and stationary storage providers.

New business models are likely to emerge, for example where OEMs retain the ownership of their batteries and receive revenue from their continued use. Finally, as a market for second life batteries develops, we are likely to see increased engagement from large fleet owners, who will be interested in maximising the value that they can get from the sale of their batteries bringing the overall lifecycle costs down.

The potential for second life batteries in stationary storage is immense. The next five years will see a significant increase in batteries that can offer a viable alternative to new batteries, and in doing so address several key energy challenges in the UK; from the need for grid storage to support greater renewables penetration and improve energy security to providing additional power capacity to support the electrification agenda. Over the past decade, Connected Energy has developed the necessary technologies to harness this opportunity and is now poised to scale up.

Sussex-based enterprise Onezero Energy is bringing its innovative home energy upgrade service to Brighton, with the aim to sign up 1,000 homes to the scheme and create a community-owned power station. This follows its rollout in Lewes in October 2023 where a number of homes have already been upgraded, including one full electrification which is nearing completion.

Homeowners that sign up to Onezero will be guided through what is possible for an energy upgrade of their property, from determining the best technology available to reduce carbon emissions through to procuring trained local tradespeople to undertake installation. The company provides a comprehensive service to upgrade homes with a package of energy improvements, including solar panels, batteries, insulation, and heat pumps, which can be installed in as little as two weeks.

To kick off their Brighton campaign, Onezero Energy are holding a launch party on the evening of Friday 14th June at the Plus X Innovation building. Limited to 200 free tickets, the event is a chance to find out more about how the scheme works, what’s in it for homeowners, and, perhaps most importantly, the benefits of making the city’s buildings more energy efficient.

Howard Johns, Founder of Onezero Energy and well-known advocate for the UK renewables industry, explains how the scheme works: “One of the biggest things you can do to reduce your impact on the planet’s climate is improve the energy efficiency of your home. Onezero was set up to help homeowners gain the financial, health and environmental benefits of doing just this.

“Our energy upgrade scheme simplifies the process, providing pre-packaged systems that fit a wide variety of homes, all delivered within a swift two-week installation period! These systems can cut carbon emissions by up to 70% and reduce household energy bills by over 50%. But many homeowners would like expert advice and support and that is where we come in.”

Onezero Energy is sourcing its installers from the pool of existing local tradespeople, supporting them to upskill where necessary and linking them up with the projects. Onezero is currently celebrating its first ‘100kW heroes’ – regional tradespeople who have installed 100kW of solar power as part of the upgrade scheme in just five months.

The response so far to Onezero’ Energy has been incredibly positive, as communities collaborate on home energy upgrades. The company’s ultimate aim is to revolutionise home power in Brighton, creating 1,000 properties powered by renewable energy that together create a community owned virtual power plant selling its excess energy back to the grid for a profit.

Onezero Energy is inviting Brighton’s homeowners to come along to the launch party to find out more about the benefits of home energy upgrades and being part of the energy revolution.

Get your free tickets for the Brighton launch event at 7pm on 14th June here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/onezero-energy-brighton-community-launch-tickets-907501460297 (limited spaces available)

Find out more about OneZero Energy and the Brighton energy scheme here: https://www.onezero.energy/brightonlaunch

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has launched a policy manifesto for the next UK Government, urging it to invest nearly £64bn over the next ten years for building retrofit projects.

The 20 May statement presents a four-point policy platform for addressing the key opportunities for the next government “that will radically transform the places we live, work and play”.

Core to the proposed measures is a call for £64 billion of national government investment over the next decade on retrofit to bring down energy bills, reduce carbon emissions and create 140,000 skilled jobs.  

“This investment in home insulation, replacing gas boilers with electric heat pumps, and other low carbon measures, would save £60 billion in grid upgrade costs over 10 years, as well as saving £22 billion for the NHS over the same period,” says a statement from the group. ”A further £9bn will be cut from household energy bills saving the average household £300 per year.”

It also calls for the introduction of an Energy Saving Stamp Duty that incentivises homeowners to make sustainable upgrades to their homes.

Responding to the announcement, Dan Capstick, Mortgage Product Manager, Ecology Building Society, commented:
“The UK Green Building Council’s call to the next UK Government for retrofit investment is a welcome and timely one. We urgently need to accelerate action on green retrofitting to improve the energy efficiency of UK homes – some of the oldest and least insulated in Europe – to help meet our national net zero targets and reduce the burden of energy bills. Investing £64 billion over the next decade will be crucial to drive forward the green transition, which will also support economic growth and create thousands of skilled jobs.

“However, in the face of political uncertainty and following a series of net zero U-turns by the current government, the financial services sector also needs to come up with ways to help people to fund the green retrofitting of their homes.

“Lenders need to explore new solutions to support more people who want to make home improvements to cut their emissions and their fuel bills. A fresh approach from lenders needs to consider how they can work with potential partners, whether in construction, technology or manufacturing, to bring together the different elements of green home improvements.

“Starting a retrofit project can be very daunting and complex, so we need to think how we bring those elements together to help to smooth that process for homeowners.”