Backed by supportive policy, energy storage capacity of the U.K. may top 12 GW by 2021, according to a report released by U.K. Renewable Energy Association (REA) and All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) last Dec.

The report, however, believes that it is more feasible to set the target at 8 GW as a medium deployment scenario, citing existing capacity which stands at only 0.6 GW. The report notes that the bulk of the storage capacity will be for renewable energy, mainly wind and PV power.

Under high deployment scenario, energy storage capacity will top 8 GW by 2021, including 40% for PV power and 25% for wind power, while PV power storage capacity will reach 3 GW and wind power 2 GW under medium deployment scenario, compared with 1 GW for PV power and wind power in combination under low deployment scenario.

The report urges the U.K. government and parliament to push new industrial policy and legislations related to energy storage, adding that countries worldwide are scrambling for leadership for energy storage.

(Written by Annie Lin; first photo courtesy of pixabay)