Storing energy to meet that enormous demand fluctuation used to be the preserve of the distinctive gasometers which dotted city skylines. As the 4,700-mile network of gas pipelines under our feet has expanded, so too has its capacity to act as a reservoir for stored gas. That has sounded the death knell for gasholders like those at Provan on the M8 in Glasgow. But a new shift is approaching as we work to reduce the amount of carbon emitted by our need for heat.
Renewable energy devices like hydro, wind turbines, solar panels and biomass currently provide more than half of Scotland’s electricity. While there are seasonal fluctuations in our renewable resources – for example, higher wind speeds in winter and longer daylight hours in summer – these are not substantial enough to balance a sixfold seasonal heat demand fluctuation. So we must find new solutions.
While the first priority should be to reduce seasonal fluctuations by improving energy efficiency and building insulation, we also need a form of energy storage that is charged during summer and discharged during winter.