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Charged with Debate - The Power of Battery Energy Storage Systems in the Move to Net Zero
The energy industry experienced a year like no other in 2023 as record amounts of energy from renewable sources were generated in the UK. Research suggests that approximately 43% of the UK’s electricity was made up of solar, wind and biomass, a 3% increase from 2022 and the largest share of the fuel mix since 2016[1]. The third quarter of 2023 saw an increase in this figure, attributing 44.5% of our electricity to renewable sources, making strong progress towards the governments targets to deliver a decarbonised power sector by 2035 and net zero by 2050[2].

 

Energy crisis

Nevertheless, energy bills remain high as the majority of our power comes from non-renewable sources. The UK, partly due to its dependence on gas for heating and electricity generation, has been particularly exposed to the energy crisis sweeping across the world, importing approximately 50% of its gas from the international market[3].
The increased demand of energy during the post-Covid reopening of economies coinciding with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has squeezed gas supplies in Europe and consequently caused a steep rise in the wholesale price of gas. To put a value to this, prices in July-September 2023 were approximately 60% higher than in winter 2021/22[4]. However, energy prices would have been even higher if the government had not invested in renewable technologies over the last decade[5].
The UK, the first major economy in the world to legislate a binding target to reach net zero emissions by 2050 currently ranks 13th out of 120 countries on the Energy Transition Index 2023[6]. Considered a consistent performer, the UK demonstrates “a strong enabling environment for energy transition, particularly on dimensions such as education and human capital, infrastructure, and regulation and political commitment[7]. However, recent reform has resulted in some radical adjustments to the net zero agenda somewhat politicising the climate crisis in doing so. Moreover, the current strategy is heavily reliant on private investment to hit net zero by 2050, making policy consistency even more important.

 

Closing the gap

The NPPF states that the planning system should support the transition to a low carbon future (paragraph 157). Current guidance stipulates that;
Increasing the amount of energy from renewable and low carbon technologies will help to make sure the UK has a secure energy supply, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to slow down climate change and stimulate investment in new jobs and businesses”.
However, local politics often interfere with this national strategy as local level planning policies often omit the importance of location in the siting of these technologies, and instead stress the need to adapt to climate change and deliver a low carbon future without establishing a more detailed strategy about how this need can be met.
The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) latest report ‘Renewables 2023’ stipulates that under existing policies and market conditions, global renewable capacity is forecast to reach 7 300 GW by 2028, falling short of the goal set at the COP28 climate change conference.
Aggravated by the slowness of the Local Plan review process, recent policy reform, and the threat of a government re-shuffle, community opposition is perceived as one of the largest obstacles to getting new projects approved[8]. However, by overcoming current challenges, implementing existing policies more quickly and removing cumbersome administrative barriers, the gap can be closed[9].

 

Introducing battery storage

Because renewable sources like wind and solar power are intermittent by their nature, the ability to store intermittent power has become ever more important. The increasingly complex mix of generation methods employed, and the significant changes in overall demand at different times of day, means that the carbon intensity of grid power changes substantially at different times.
Typically, as shown in the figure above, electricity is less carbon-intensive overnight. By introducing Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to the grid, low carbon energy can be stored and discharged during the day rather than using more carbon-intensive grid power. With transmission losses associated with the ‘transport’ of electricity, the closer the location to the substation, the more efficient and effective its contribution to satisfying local demand. However, as such facilities do not produce energy themselves, BESS applications fall into the ‘grey area’ of English planning policy, considered an enabler of a decentralised grid system rather than a facilitator.
For better or worse, the visual and other amenity perceptions of energy systems drive much of its policy debates. Unfortunately, the human impulse to often try to protect the status quo and resist change is impeding the UKs energy transformation and as such the industry needs to think ahead. The current planning system gives campaigners the leverage developers lack and despite these systems providing essential infrastructure, local opposition can be a key reason for planning applications failing.

 

Looking forward

To reach the UK’s 2050 net zero emissions targets a balance needs to be struck, including measures to reduce uncertainty to help the UK deliver a net zero energy system that is affordable and secure.
A market-wide strategy, including government targets, policy support and market reform is required to facilitate the significant growth in distributed flexibility[10]. Furthermore, policy needs updating to reflect the ever-evolving advances in renewable technology and its locational requirements relative to grid connections. Also, more government engagement (at national and local levels) is needed to explain to communities the unprecedented climate change challenges that lie ahead, the scale of the effort needed to deliver essential renewable energy technologies, and the operational necessity for areas around existing and planned new substations (often in the countryside) to host renewables technologies and battery storage.
The scale of investment needed will depend on the degree to which the UK is able to make the most of flexible solutions and optimise the placement of generation and storage in relation to demand. A more strategic approach is needed to ensure Britain builds an energy system and electricity network that minimises consumer costs and disruption while maximising the efficiency of the grid.
Only through this kind of action can the UK deliver on its net-zero targets and reap the economic benefits of the clean-technology revolution.

 

[1] Electrical Review

[2] Gov.UK

[3] ONS

[4] The House of Commons Library

[5] Electrical Review

[6] The Energy Transition Index benchmarks countries on their current energy system performance and provides a forward-looking measure of transition readiness (World Economic Forum).

[7] World Economic Forum

[8] Connected Energy Solution

[9] International Energy Agency

[10] NGFES

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Planning for Net Zero: The growing concern of embodied carbon
As the country continues its push to cut carbon emissions off the back of COP27, we must consider different ways to maintain our momentum in the face of the continuing energy crisis, record greenhouse gas concentrations, increasing extreme weather events and a growing population.
At a global scale, the concentration of human populations within urban centres has paradoxically shifted the role of cities in climate mitigation. Whilst cities are often seen as a source of pollution, contamination and in recent history, infection, they offer opportunities to act as hubs of innovation making the notion of sustainable development fundamental.
According to the United Nations Habitat- mandated to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities, cities account for 60% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, consuming 78% of the worlds energy yet covering less than 2% of its surface[1]. Building operations and construction related activities alone are responsible for 39% of global energy related carbon emissions (28% from operational emissions and 11% from materials and construction), which is set to increase as the world’s building stock aims to accommodate rapid rates of urbanisation and population growth[2].
Figure 1 Embodied Carbon Lifecyle

Source: Build Pass

 

In the UK, the statistics are more encouraging, attributing only 25% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions to the built environment. However, national policy to date has solely focused on operational emissions (emissions resulting from energy consumption in the day-to-day running of a property) and somewhat bypassed embodied emissions (emissions from the construction process, maintenance and demolition of buildings). These emissions now amount to some 40 to 50 million tonnes of CO2 annually, more than emissions from aviation and shipping combined, questioning the ability of our urban environments to deliver a truly sustainable future[3].
The recently published Sixth Assessment Report of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) ‘Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability’ states that urban areas can create opportunities to increase resource efficiency and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, delivering a truly sustainable urban environment is not as clear cut as this report suggests.
With 80% of buildings projected to exist in 2050 already built, focusing efforts on new build construction alone cannot provide the net carbon reductions needed to reach net zero[4]. Rather, we must now seek to better understand, and consider the opportunities of embodied carbon in existing structures as another, yet crucial, means for mitigating the carbon footprint of development. The IPCC report highlights that for established cities, this materialises in the form of “efficiently improving, repurposing or retrofitting” the existing building stock.
Whilst anything but innovative, this understanding is gaining traction amongst built environment professionals and representational groups who seek to do more to regulate embodied emissions as part of the planning and building process.
Figure 2 Material Life Cycle

Source: Building Green

 

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF, 2021) currently has no requirement for carbon emissions associated with construction to be considered, assessed or limited. Instead, it promotes a presumption in favour of sustainable development (paragraph 10), noting climate mitigation to be a well-represented topic. Whilst current and emerging reforms seem radical, evidence suggests that more needs to be done if the UK is to retain its status as a global leader in decarbonisation.
However, in my view it is not through taxation, restriction or offsetting that embodied emissions can best be mitigated. A better approach would be to standardise the means by which whole life carbon can be coherently and rigorously assessed and subsequently limited across all types of development. This will allow informed choices so that development can take its most sustainable form for its particular circumstances, whether new build or retrofit.
This approach is promoted by the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee in ‘The Building to Net Zero’ report:
“…the single most significant policy the Government could introduce is a mandatory requirement to undertake whole-life carbon assessments for buildings [...] This policy will incentivise greater retrofitting, the development and use of low carbon materials, and investment in low carbon construction skills”.[5]
For established cities like London, attaining the status of a zero-carbon city requires a shift away from a ‘disposable’ built environment where it is easier and cheaper to demolish and rebuild rather than exploring more sustainable options in the first instance.
The current London Plan (2021) requires major development to be net zero-carbon amongst other criteria. However, only development proposals referable to the Mayor need calculate whole lifecycle carbon emissions and demonstrate actions taken to reduce life-cycle carbon emissions. This demonstrates that standardised measures to limit carbon emissions associated with construction is plausible and should be urgently extended to all forms of development requiring planning permission. Councils are responding to this challenge; some more proactively than others.
Westminster City Council has proposed a new ‘retrofit first’ policy as part of its local plan review. The policy seeks to prioritise the retrofit and refurbishment of existing buildings over ‘unnecessary’ demolition and redevelopment, acknowledging the potential carbon savings as well as the social and economic benefits of retrofit too.
 The City of London (Corporation) now promotes (as part of its new Local Plan) the re-use and refurbishment of existing buildings by requiring all major development to demonstrate that London Plan carbon emission and air quality requirements have been met on site, retaining embodied carbon within building structures where feasible. To support the emerging policy, the Corporation has produced a Whole Lifecycle Carbon Optioneering Planning Advice Note. This sets out a framework through which developers can assess and appraise lifetime emissions for different types of development including retrofit or redevelopment (including demolition). The framework aims to make the choices clearer for all developers who will be required to follow the same process to ensure consistency in carbon reporting at pre-app and planning application stages to inform officers and committee members.
Whilst not written into policy yet, these initiatives strive for truly sustainable development in its totality, the success of which is yet to be determined (although it’s likely that other London boroughs will start to follow suit). Consequently, such requirements may become more commonplace in new and emerging policy as pressures to deliver a truly sustainable environment ramp up as we approach critical climate tipping points.
LSE’s latest landmark building project at 35 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, represents this new approach to sustainable development. The scheme proposes between 50% and 70% of materials to be retained, re-used or recycled further targeting zero waste going to landfill, achieving upfront embodied carbon emissions and bettering the GLA aspirational target and emissions captured from exemplar new builds. The project demonstrates, as noted by David Chipperfield, “how the reuse of existing buildings can be seen not as an obligation but as a commitment to a more resourceful and responsible approach to our future, based on intelligent use of existing material and cultural capital”[6].
Chipperfield, who has recently won the prestigious Pritzker award further notes “we shouldn’t just see [sustainability and retrofit] as a sort of reluctant moral responsibility. It should be meaningful. For instance, with the LSE project, we tried to make the argument with this not only the right thing to do, it’s actually the more interesting thing to do.”[7]
The proposed redevelopment of the M&S at Marble Arch pending a decision from the Secretary of State, offers to deliver an alternative approach to sustainability. The scheme proposes complete demolition and a total re-build. This would provide a building in the top 1% of sustainability performance in London delivering a carbon payback in 11 years. Whilst the idea of retrofit was at the fore of arguments during the two-week Inquiry, it was made clear that “no party is asserting that there actually is another, better way of achieving these or substantially similar benefits either through refurbishment or at all. The highest it is put is that there might be”[8].In other words, at Marble Arch, redevelopment might be the most carbon efficient approach.
Going above and beyond what is required of them from planning policy, both development proposals strive to deliver truly sustainable development through what appears to be opposite strategies. One through retrofit, the other demolition and rebuild. However, each delivers an outcome befitting of the 21st century through a process of considering, assessing and limiting both the operational and embodied emissions of development. Despite the varying approach to redevelopment, the desired outcome is the same.
Achieving effective sustainability in new development is becoming an ever more pressing matter in the eyes of planners and developers alike in the face of the climate emergency, however a clear way of making genuinely informed decisions, on the relative merits of different types of development, has yet to emerge. Although the notion of sustainable development is promoted through the current planning system, evidence suggests that much more needs to be done to deliver it and deliver it quickly. This requires the concerted effort of all to deliver big and small changes through truly informed choices that will cumulatively deliver a truly sustainable urban environment.


[1] United Nations Habitat

[2] World Green Building Council

[3] Building to net zero: costing carbon in construction

[4] Building For Change

[5] House of Commons: Building to Net Zero

[6] Building Design

[7] Architects Journal

[8] M&S Marble Arch

 

Image credit: Mike B. via Pexels

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