Osborne Clarke, London
4 June 2019, 09.00-16.30
Read the event report
View the agenda here
The tenth Electricity Storage Network (ESN) annual symposium took place in a very different world from our first in 2009. We are in the midst of a transformation of our energy system. Storage has gone from an exciting prospect, the silver bullet in our journey to decarbonisation, to a significant sector with over 6 GW of accepted storage connection offers across the UK.
However, both storage and decentralised generation are at pivotal points, grappling to achieve the right model that allows them to flourish in the face of changing policy and regulation. And with the ‘smart’ world on the horizon, the potential for new markets, better integration of technologies and increased network efficiency are creating exciting new models and opportunities for growth.
This one-day symposium brought together storage and decentralised low carbon generation to share common challenges and discuss solutions including;
- How can storage and decentralised generation work together to transform the energy system?
- How can we materialise the much-lauded benefits of smart technologies?
- With decentralisation of the energy system increasingly in the spotlight, how will storage participate at the local level?
This symposium bridged the gap between the generation and storage worlds, connecting experts from across the whole energy system to consider how to integrate storage, find the best routes to market and create innovative new business models. The event provided a platform for debate between the key players and policy makers and a forum for learning and insight; a chance for us, together, to devise solutions to our most pressing challenges.
Presentations from the day:
Watch the Leaders’ Forum session in full
Slides:
- Ray Arrell, senior project manager, Regen
- Laura Sandys, chief executive officer, Challenging Ideas
- David Sykes, head of data science, Octopus Energy
- Jon Ferris, strategy director, Electron
- Robyn Lucas, head of data science, Open Energi
- Ray Arrell, flexibility session, senior project manager, Regen
- Hallstein Hagen, senior consultant, NODES
- Andy Scott, consultant, Swanbarton
- Felicity Jones, partner, Everoze
- Irena Spazzapan, partner, SYSTEMIQ
- Marek Kubik, market director, Fluence
Other Speakers included:
- Cathy McClay, head of future markets, National Grid System Operator
- Ben Irons, co-founder, Habitat Energy
- Frances Warburton, director, energy system transition, Ofgem
- Javier Cavada Camino, chief executive officer, Highview Power
- Charlie Blair, managing director, Gravitricity
- Catalina Rozo, regulatory analyst, Zenobe
- David Sykes, head of data science, Octopus Energy
- Steve Atkins,DSO transition manager, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
- Mike Hemsley,senior power analyst, Committee on Climate Change
- Toddington Harper, chief executive officer, Gridserve
- Madeleine Greenhalgh, policy lead, Electricity Storage Network
- Rubina Singh, global channel propositions, Centrica
- Mike Ryan, director of asset management, Anesco
- and many others…
This event was proudly sponsored by Anesco, Highview Power, Fluence and Swanbarton and kindly hosted by Osborne Clarke.
Thank you to our media partners for this year
Sessions included:
| Leaders Forum: the value of storage in smart, decarbonised energy system |
| We will be debating where the value for storage will be in the energy system. Our leaders include key decision makers in the future design and operation of the system and a prominent entrepreneur focused on optimising storage business models. Questions up for discussion will include: |
| How can we capitalise on smart, digital technologies for storage? |
| Smart technologies such as machine learning, distributed ledgers and the Internet of Things are often pegged as the answer to all ills in the energy sector, particularly for storage. The prospects are certainly exciting – new market models or enhanced prediction facilitating time of use. But despite high levels of ambition in the industry and from government, the benefits have not yet materialised. |
| Local flexibility |
| Decentralisation of the energy system is one of the most disruptive elements of the sector. More localised supply and balancing bring challenges for the system as a whole, but also opportunities for storage and generation. As DNOs move to become DSOs, how can storage ease the transition? The way we distribute payment for the network is becoming much more locational – how can storage help reduce network costs at a local level? What is the current state of local flexibility markets and what are the challenges to their development? |
| How can policy and regulation enable the transformation of our energy system and unlock the potential of storage? |
| Storage is put forward as the vital cog to solve the myriad challenges facing the energy network, but its deployment and its treatment in regulation does not yet match this ambition. In the run up to a new government Energy White Paper is radical change needed? Two speakers will present a disruptive view of policy and regulation in the sector and our panellists will assess whether we’re up the challenge. |
| Storage: the long term vision |
| Storage, like many other new technologies in the energy industry, has dealt with a rapidly changing environment since its entrance into the sector. What does a more stable, long-term future look like for storage? What does the government need to do to enable that? As we think about the long term financial and environmental future of the energy system, what are the necessary and likely projections for storage deployment? What future market opportunities are there? Can we take heed from international examples? |