Morning, Thursday, 17th July 2025
Online
This conference will examine next steps for UK energy storage policy, regulation, and market development.
Key areas for discussion include priorities for LDES and its role in supporting the UK’s decarbonisation targets, the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, and the new cap and floor scheme, as well as wider issues for investment and regulatory frameworks to enable large-scale deployment. It follows the 2025 Spending Review and Industrial Strategy’s Clean Energy Industries and Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plans announcing funding towards clean energy and R&D, with a focus on batteries in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan including further support for BESS via the forthcoming Low Carbon Flexibility Roadmap.
Ofgem’s cap and floor scheme
The conference will bring key stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss implementation of the recently launched LDES cap and floor scheme, following publication of the Technical Decision Document and with Ofgem aiming to approve the first projects by the second quarter of 2026.
Delegates will assess prospects for the scheme in stimulating private investment, alongside alignment with broader grid and market reforms, and considerations for technology eligibility, capacity targets, and deployment timelines. In light of battery storage developers’ open letter to government and regulators, we expect discussion to address concerns regarding ensuring technology neutrality within the framework, as well as potential impacts on investor confidence where eligibility criteria may favour particular storage technologies, and balancing incentives for both established and emerging solutions.
Grid connections and options for market reform
Sessions will consider the interaction between LDES and the wider electricity market, the role of National Grid and NESO, and potential measures to accelerate grid connections and infrastructure development, including the likely impact of Ofgem’s recently launched Connections Reform Package. Delegates will assess options for addressing grid infrastructure constraints impacting renewable generation and storage integration, alongside supply chain challenges affecting the availability of key grid components. Delegates will also consider options for market reform and implications for energy storage rollout.
Planning
Wider policy such as planning reform will also be examined in relation to energy storage, including measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, updates to National Policy Statements for Energy, the new Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, implications of updates to the NSIP regime, upcoming decisions regarding electricity market reforms, and the potential inclusion of BESS within Environmental Permitting Regulations. Those attending will consider how best to address concerns around the potential environmental impact of new developments, including considerations specific to large-scale pumped hydro projects, safety in grid-scale BESS developments and lithium-ion technology, and the possible need for new public incentives to allow projects to progress.
Innovation, skills, support and investment
Further sessions will examine how a balanced approach to energy storage deployment can be achieved, including the roles of technologies such as pumped hydro, liquid air energy storage, and flow batteries, as well as emerging innovation and priorities for R&D going forward.
Discussion will also consider the Industrial Strategy, skills and supply chain development, and investment support, including the role of Great British Energy following royal assent of the Great British Energy Act. We expect discussion on the National Wealth Fund, the allocation of funding for clean energy R&D in the recent Spending Review, as well as alternative investment strategies in encouraging R&D and capacity expansion.
Governance and leadership
Further discussion will look at the role of devolved administrations in storage development - with major LDES projects underway in Scotland - as well as the UK’s position in global energy storage leadership. This includes the UK’s commitments under the COP29 Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge, and its role in exporting technology, professional expertise, and best practice. Delegates will also address issues such as ethical sourcing of critical minerals in energy storage supply chains, the outlook for battery recycling and waste management, and strategic considerations for achieving transparency and inclusivity in the development of energy storage policy frameworks.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those due to include parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Lords and officials from DESNZ; DBT; DWP; GBE; MHCLG; HSE; HM Treasury; HMRC; MoD, NAO; NCSC; NISTA; UKIB; CMA; DECC, ROI; the Welsh Government; and The Scottish Government.
