Battery storage
Unlocking clean energy potential by expanding energy storage
Copper is leading the charge with support for battery energy storage system (BESS) installations in the UK. The BESS market is expected to expand by almost 30% a year for the rest of the decade, as the UK transitions towards a sustainable, reliable energy system.
Without BESS, the UK will not meet its 2030 clean power target ,as storage is key to unlocking renewables, balancing the grid and driving decarbonisation.
Copper has supported some significant BESS schemes, including the flagship battery storage project at Thorpe Marsh, Yorkshire. At 1400 MW (3100 MWh), this is the largest battery storage project in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. Once completed, it is expected to have enough capacity to power up to 800,000 homes during peak hours of electricity demand.
We have also launched our ‘Back Battery Storage‘ campaign to help the industry overcome the challenges facing the BESS sector.
View the campaignThorpe Marsh
Copper has supported a programme of consultation and engagement on the UK’s largest battery storage project. The proposals from Fidra Energy at Thorpe Marsh in Yorkshire are expected to have enough capacity to power up to 800,000 homes during peak hours of electricity demand. By undertaking targeted stakeholder engagement, our work resulted in a neutral parish council and not one objection on the planning file, meaning the scheme had a clear run at receiving consent through delegated powers. Engagement with the local MP (and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero) also resulted in positive sentiment towards the scheme.
View more battery strorage projects
Back Battery Storage campaign
A record number of BESS capacity projects were approved in 2024 in the UK, with 101 GWh of projects consented and over 18 GWh under construction. As the backbone of a reliable, renewable-driven grid, battery storage unlocks the full potential of clean energy, bolsters economic growth and drives progress towards net zero. Yet persistent planning and regulatory hurdles threaten sector momentum. The Back Battery Storage campaign has ambitious plans, from industry roundtables to parliamentary engagement, to support this critical industry.
Join in with the campaign
Faraday Battery Challenge
Copper supported UKRI’s Faraday Battery Challenge (FBC) – which is helping to create 100,000 jobs by 2040 and extend battery life by 80% – by energising the UK’s battery innovation landscape through strategic communications. We successfully engaged stakeholders in the Cross-sector battery report, which identified that an additional 55 GWh is needed to satisfy UK demand, 35 GWh of which is solely for the automotive industry. Raising FBC’s profile and aligning messaging with national funding priorities have helped secure the UK as a global player in battery technology.
Energising the UK’s battery landscape
Get in touch
Join us on a mission to unlock the potential of clean energy.
renewables@copperconsultancy.com
