Electricity storage systems on farms could play a major role in the next step of the “energy revolution”.
This is according to a new technical note produced by the Scottish Government’s Farm Advisory Service (FAS) programme, which is delivered by specialists from SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).
While the diversity of renewable technologies such as wind and solar generators bring a number of advantages, it also poses challenges in terms of supply and demand.
The note’s author, Jim Campbell, Environment Team Leader at SAC Consulting, says the next stage of the “energy revolution” will be the development of a “smart” network infrastructure, which will be able to take full advantage of this diversity and maximise the benefits for both consumers and energy companies.
Storage technologies can be developed on a small, “behind-the-meter” scale for the benefit of farms, or on a larger scale to support the wider electricity market.
Technologies that can be employed on farms include batteries, heat storage and hydrogen production. Although careful financial analysis and system design is needed, farmers operating energy storage facilities can reduce energy import costs and also make money for providing grid-balancing services.
Jim Campbell will be chairing a session at next month’s All-Energy conference in Glasgow, where he will be discussing “new approaches to enhancing income streams”.
He said: “There has been an awareness among farmers with renewable assets for some time that on-site energy storage could provide a range of benefits. As battery prices fall and the electricity market is reformed, the situations where storage installations can be financially viable are increasing. Now is the time to familiarise yourself with the technology and be ready to take advantage of opportunities that arise.”
To read the tech note in full, click here.
Other FAS technical notes, including several on renewable energy, can be found here.
To find out more about the All-Energy conference, which takes place at the Glasgow SEC from 2-3 May, click here.
