Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to identify locations for potential electricity storage schemes that would best supplement the existing National Grid system; what steps his Department is taking to facilitate such installations; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State launched the joint Government and Ofgem Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan in July 2017, in which we committed to 29 actions to facilitate the transition to a smarter, more flexible energy system. One of these actions was for network operators and industry to continue to improve network connection processes for electricity storage. As part of this commitment, the Energy Networks Association recently published a guidance document called ‘Information on Distribution Connection Options’ which aims to provide clarity on connections options, and is the first output of their work on this issue. We expect further guidance as their work continues, including greater transparency for storage operators on where best to connect. Several Distribution Network Operators have already published so-called ‘heat maps’ for this purpose, and we expect others to follow suit.