The UK urgently requires a significant expansion of its energy storage capacity to achieve its goal of a clean power system by 2030, according to a new analysis by Drax Electric Insights.
The report, conducted in collaboration with academics at Imperial College London, highlights that a substantial portion of wind-generated electricity is currently being wasted.
In 2024, Britain reached a historic milestone, with wind power becoming the country's largest source of electricity, accounting for 31% of total generation and surpassing fossil fuels for the first time in 140 years. However, despite this achievement, 8.3 terawatt-hours (TWh), or approximately 10% of generated wind power, was curtailed due to grid congestion, costing consumers nearly £400 million. This wasted energy is enough to power over two million homes.
The report emphasises that scaling up energy storage capabilities, such as long-duration energy storage (LDES) and battery energy storage systems (BESS), alongside grid infrastructure improvements, is crucial. These solutions would allow excess wind power produced during periods of low demand to be stored and released when needed, reducing reliance on gas during 'dunkelflaute' periods – periods of cold, calm weather. Without significant investment and policy support, the UK risks losing vast amounts of clean energy.
Dr Iain Staffell of Imperial College London, lead author of the Drax Electric Insights report, said: "The rapid continued growth of wind power generation should give us cause for optimism on the journey towards clean energy, but that growth presents its own very real and different challenges. Last year we saw a 17% reduction in emissions compared to 2023, but with more wind comes more intermittency. This was evident across the back end of 2024 and early 2025, with three separate periods of cold, calm weather – known as 'dunkelflaute' – exposing Britain's reliance on costly imported energy and drawing down the nation's gas storage to 'concerningly low' levels."
He added: "Investment in intermittent renewables such as wind and solar is helping us reduce fossil fuel levels in our power generation mix, but without large-scale energy storage and grid upgrades, we will continue wasting clean energy and paying the price for it, especially during long cold snaps and windless conditions."
The report also noted that curtailment of wind energy has doubled in a year, rising from 5.5% to over 10%, primarily due to Scottish wind farms producing more energy than the grid can transmit to demand centres in England.
Ian Kinnaird, FlexGen Assets Director at Drax, said: "The UK government has set ambitious targets for energy storage and grid reinforcement, but the pace of deployment must accelerate to match the rapid growth of renewable generation. Policy incentives, streamlined planning processes, and investment in medium and long-duration storage technologies will all be critical in ensuring Britain fully capitalises on its renewable energy sources."
Construction News
21/03/2025
Urgent Energy Storage Expansion Needed To Maximise Wind Power


18/07/2025
Muir Homes has begun construction on the second phase of its Deer Pines development in Stanley, Perthshire, after the first phase sold out completely ahead of schedule.
The next stage will see 25 new private homes added, with strong off-plan sales already reported.
Located just seven miles from P

18/07/2025
Three Aberdeenshire parks have once again been recognised for their high standards in environmental management and maintenance, earning prestigious Green Flag Awards from Keep Scotland Beautiful.
Aden Country Park in Mintlaw has secured the award for the 16th consecutive year. Haddo Country Park ne

18/07/2025
North Ayrshire's newest council homes are now fully occupied, as the final tenants settle into 14 newly built properties across Laburnum Avenue in Beith and Newhouse Drive in Kilbirnie.
The developments, part of North Ayrshire Council's Estate Based Regeneration Programme, have received glowing fee

18/07/2025
The multi-use games area (MUGA) at Kirkwall Grammar School has received an upgrade, ready to welcome both summer sunshine and the upcoming Orkney 2025 Island Games.
Located between the school and the 3G pitch, the revitalised space has been improved through a collaborative effort between Orkney Isl

18/07/2025
East Lothian Council is calling on residents to share their local knowledge and personal experiences to help shape future plans for managing coastal erosion and the growing impacts of climate change on the region's coastline.
The appeal comes as part of the first phase of the Council's Coastal Chan

18/07/2025
A team of nine volunteers from SSEN Transmission's Crossaig electricity substation project rolled up their sleeves this week to tackle shoreline litter at Dalintober Harbour in Campbeltown, removing 185kg of waste.
The group, which included staff from SSEN Transmission and their Principal Contracto

18/07/2025
Residents of West Lothian are being urged to take part in a new public consultation aimed at shaping the region's long-term strategy for greener, more efficient home heating.
The consultation supports the development of the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES), a Scottish Government in

18/07/2025
Demolition work at the site of the recent King Street fire is now well underway, with efforts focused on safely clearing the damaged structure to allow businesses and the public to return as soon as possible.
The operation is being carried out in two phases, with Phase 1, focused on the King Street

17/07/2025
A major renewable energy project is now powering almost a third of the energy used by the Alloa Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW), helping drive down carbon emissions and bringing Scottish Water closer to its net zero targets.
The £1.3 million solar scheme, one of the largest installed at a Scotti

17/07/2025
Costain has been awarded a multimillion-pound contract by INEOS FPS to deliver engineering services at the Kinneil Terminal in Scotland.
The three-year agreement will see Costain continue its long-standing role supporting operations at the terminal, bringing its broad engineering expertise to help