Batteries

Batteries, especially behind the meter, are becoming an increasingly viable part of the community energy business model and with local supply will become even more so. They are usually a key component of a Smart Local Energy System – which Great British Energy is committed to enabling, with a presumption on community ownership. Several expert delivery partners are chosing to work especially with community energy, such as Envole Energy and VEST Energy.

This page will collect information in one place as it emerges.

CURRENT CONSULTATION

The government has launched a Call for Evidence on Assessing the case for community batteries, deadline 30 July 2026. We want to engage expert members to respond to this with us and to use it as an occasion to get the whole sector thinking about the opportunity batteries present. At our Summer Conference there we 5 separate discussions about batteries in the Open Space sessions.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Some of our members are pioneering Smart Local Energy Systems comprising solar, batteries, heat pumps, EV charging, and smart management, which pay off the investment in between 2 and 4 years. Community energy has a unique advantage over big commerce in our local connections with ideal sites for these SLES. We need to move fast to own this opportunity and make community energy the default deliverer. Various equity partners are keen to enable these projects to happen quickly.

Enabling the battery to deliver local flexibility and grid services can help stack revenues to make the project more viable.

HOW CAN WE BUILD BATTERIES INTO OUR PROJECTS?

CEE and the Energy Learning Network aims to explore these opportunities and how to grasp them with partners over the coming months.

CONTACT

Duncan at [email protected]