DECC has launched two competitions in response to the growing importance of energy storage – one for large scale projects and a second for research into storage systems and their components.
The large scale competition will see a pot of £17m up for grabs to test storage solutions currently in the early stages of development. The second competition will disperse £3m for ideas which improve materials or components currently used for energy storage or which explore how systems can be used in the UK electricity network. Bids will be assessed based on value for money, technical specification and potential for commercialisation. Applications must be made by 13 December 2012.
Climate change minister, Greg Barker, said: “As we move towards a low carbon future, the ability to store energy when we don’t need it, for times when we do will become even more important, helping us balance our electricity network and use more clean green power.
“This investment will help boost innovation in this area and bring more technologies into this growing market.”