Battery energy storage sites are facing a logjam in attempts to connect to the grid, meaning that many may never actually be built.

This connections queue is one of the biggest roadblocks to achieving clean power, with a report from Cornwall Insight estimating that the capacity of projects queueing to connect to the grid is four times greater than required by 2035 and over twice the grid’s projected 2030 target.

Giles Hanglin, CEO at Apatura, said: "The UK simply can't afford to delay planned battery storage projects in the connection queue. While the queue is oversubscribed, the key differentiator must be project readiness — priority should be given to those with exclusive land rights, advanced planning status, and consent. The focus must be on delivering projects that are sufficiently advanced, have been rigorously assessed through the planning process, and will make a real impact.”

The report adds an extra urgency to the recent news that Ofgem is reconsidering priorities, which could be in place in spring 2025, to end the first-come, first-served system and take readiness into account.

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