https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/3077120/50mw-super-battery-approved-for-uks-biggest-windfarmAlready posted in the Batteries thread but worth a posting here as a reminder that a utility with contracts to supply electricity 24/7 to many thousands of domestic, commercial and industrial customers reckons they can go 100% renewable.
Scottish power have sold ALL their fossil fuel generation plants and are going for wind power in a very big way. What to do about intermittent supply as wind speed drops ?
Big Batteries e.g. this first one of 50 MWH.
Not only solving much of problem A. Intermittent supply, but also
B. Excess supply - batteries charged up during low demand periods. Productivity of wind power installations increased.
and C: instant response to short-term supply problems means not paying vast market prices at these times.
They will do the same at all their plants.
I bet that they had a damn good look at the Australia Big Battery** - and found adding batteries might actually make them money, not add costs.
"By integrating storage technologies with onshore wind, we are blowing away one of the myths about renewable generation not being available when you need it," said Keith Anderson, chief executive at ScottishPower. "Natural resources like wind and solar are variable in their very nature, and by using a battery we can ensure we optimise our ability to use the resource most effectively."
The 'super battery' will allow the wind farm to store excess power at times when demand is low or wind turbine output is high - for instance at night - which can then be released at times of higher demand and low wind.
It will also be used to provide "bursts" of power to help stabilise the UK grid on a second-by-second basis, ScottishPower said.
Will it solve all the difficulties in getting to 100% zero-carbon. No.
Will it get the industry a lot closer to that goal? YES.
It's a no-brainer.
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** Scottish Power is just the latest utility to jump on this bandwagon. And credit where credit is due - it was Musk / Tesla who made the big push to make the Big Aussie Battery happen which proved the concept. One for the TESLA Glory/Failure thread.