Letters: Energy is a balancing act
[Re: UK to build thousands more wind turbines under new energy strategy, April 2]
Boris Johnson’s proposals for a new energy strategy overlook one of the most important but complex matters when approaching a net zero grid.
There is currently enough energy generated to meet net-zero grid ambitions, but supply and demand don’t always match up.
As it stands, there are periods of time when both generation and demand are in excess. Without action to resolve this conundrum, there will be insufficient generation to cover demand a startling 41 per cent of the time.
While we support the increase in renewable energy capacity, the UK is not going to reach net zero if it can’t solve the issues around excess. Energy storage is the clear solution to this problem, with the ability to act as a safeguard when demand drastically increases or when excessive electricity is generated. Charge it up when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing, and discharge it when they aren’t. It really is as simple as that.
We need to look past the headlines and rhetoric around the energy strategy. Swapping to a purely renewable energy mix won’t be an effective solution unless generation can always meet demand. The question is not “do we need electricity storage?” but now “how much electricity storage do we need?”
Phil Thompson