RE: Huge projects22 Nov 2020 17:59
Indeed why are flow batteries not the obvious choice for large scale battery based electricity storage? Is it purely down to initial costs being lower?
Today's excellent Financial Times article about energy storage, lead with the story of the contentious Solar park development at Cleve Hill in Kent. It is contentious for several reasons, large scale solar at UK latitudes is not an efficient use of green field sites; the site is drained agricultural land which otherwise was earmarked for return to its natural state of estuarine saltmarsh (both good CO2 sinks); but chiefly the energy storage favoured by the developer is Lithium Ion.
Local objections to the development was very strong, and it took central government planning to overturn all the barriers. Local objections persist, as the article reminded us, largely over the fears of yet another huge Li-ion battery. This installation, said to be the largest yet globally, flies in the face of all the evidence of risk of toxic fires. When the planning decision was announced I found that these acknowledged risks were chiefly to be laid at the door of the local fire brigade to plan for and mitigate. I am surprised that Fire Chiefs and Unions are not up in arms about this, but perhaps they are not yet aware? Wait for the call...999!
There is a chance to placate the remaining strong concerns by altering the choice to a UK supplied of VRFB, or opting for hydrogen generation instead, as Ryse plan at Herne Bay.
Does anyone understand the thinking of these developers, let alone central government???
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