TidAl Range schemes as configurable Grid-scale Energy sTorage facilities (TARGET)

英国可变风能和太阳能发电技术以及僵化的核电站产能的显著增长，对于到2035年实现净零电力系统和到2050年实现净负电力系统至关重要。运输部门的脱碳和对电力供暖的更大依赖，预计将进一步增加电力高峰需求。越来越多地使用可变的可再生能源发电，对电力系统的运行提出了几个挑战，特别是供需失衡。目前，GB电力系统依赖燃气和水力发电站的大量投入来平衡高峰需求。此外，到2030年，需要13千兆瓦的新储电量，以平衡34-77千兆瓦的新风能和太阳能发电。现有的网格级储能技术在成本、生命周期、环境影响和可扩展性方面各有优缺点。潮汐发电方案(TRSS)是一种可再生发电技术，也可以作为电网规模的储能设施运行。这是TRSS的一个独特特征，尚未得到重大调查，也是本项目的重点。潮汐泻湖和拦河坝等TRSS通过在由潮汐驱动的海边水位和由流经建筑物的水流控制的盆地内水位之间产生人为的水头差来产生可再生电力。与许多其他形式的可再生能源发电相比，TRS具有显著的优势，因为它们基于高度可预测的资源。传统上，发电一直被认为是TRSS的主要目标，它们主要是为了最大限度地提高发电量。然而，这种方案--特别是抽水方案--可以高度可控，因此可以用作储能设施。英国沿海水域提出了许多不同大小的潮差方案，还有其他几个地点正在调查中。TRS发展的障碍之一是其相对较高的资本成本(但通常与较长的资本周期有关)。这导致了较高的预期发电成本。然而，经营储能系统作为储能设施，使它们能够通过价格套利以及提供辅助和储备服务来增加收入。因此，这使得TRS商业模式在财务上更加可行，同时支持电力系统的运行。TRSS作为电网规模储能设施的能力可以通过设计和运行TRSS的新方法来增强。与其他电网规模的存储技术相比，考虑TRSS作为存储设施的技术经济和生命周期环境影响也是至关重要的。在这个拟议的项目中，我们将研究TRSS作为可配置的电网规模的能量存储的最佳设计和运行。这还包括对用作储能的储能系统的收入进行经济评估，以及对储能系统和其他常见储存技术进行技术经济和比较生命周期评估，以便更好地了解储能系统的潜在影响。拟议的项目由6个紧密相连的工作包组成。项目组将与咨询委员会合作，以确保该项目能够应对提案中强调的利用TRSS作为电网规模的储能设施的主要挑战，并使广泛的利益攸关方受益。

Significant growth in the capacity of variable wind and solar generation technologies and inflexible nuclear power stations in UK is crucial to achieving a net-zero electricity system by 2035 and a net-negative electricity system by 2050. Decarbonising the transport sector and a greater reliance on electricity for heating are expected to increase electricity peak demand further. The growing use of variable renewable energy sources for power generation poses several challenges to the operation of power systems, in particular, supply and demand imbalances. Currently, the GB power system relies on significant input from gas-fired and hydro-electric power stations for balancing peak demand. Further, 13 GW of new electricity storage is required by 2030 to balance the 34 - 77 GW of new wind and solar generation. Existing technologies for grid-scale energy storage have their own pros and cons in terms of cost, life cycle environmental impacts, and scalability. Tidal Range Schemes (TRSs) are renewable generation technologies that can also be operated as grid-scale energy storage facilities. This is a unique feature of TRSs which has not been investigated significantly and is the key focus of this project. TRSs, such as tidal lagoons and barrages, generate renewable electricity by creating an artificial head difference between water levels on the seaside, driven by tides, and water levels inside the basin, controlled by flow through the structure. TRSs have a significant advantage over many other forms of renewable energy generation in that they are based on a highly predictable resource. Electricity generation has been traditionally considered as the primary goal of TRSs and they are mainly designed to maximise electricity generation. However, such schemes - particularly with pumping - can be highly controllable and therefore can be used as energy storage facilities. There are a number of tidal range schemes at different sizes proposed in UK coastal waters, with several other sites being investigated. One of the barriers to TRS development is their relatively high capital cost (but typically connected to a long capital cycle). This leads to a high expected cost of electricity generation. However, operating TRSs as energy storage facilities enables them to increase their revenue through price arbitrage and providing ancillary and reserve services. This consequently makes the TRS business model more financially viable while supporting the operation of the electricity system. The capability of TRSs to function as grid-scale energy storage facilities can be enhanced by new approaches to design and operate TRSs. It is also crucial to consider techno-economic and life cycle environmental impacts of TRSs being utilised as storage facilities compared to other grid-scale storage technologies.In this proposed project, we will investigate the optimal design and operation of TRSs as configurable grid-scale energy storage. This also includes an economic assessment of the revenue of TRSs when they are utilised as energy storage, and techno-economic and comparative life cycle assessment of TRSs and other common storage technologies in order to provide a better understanding of the potential impacts of TRSs. The proposed project is formed of 6 work packages which are closely connected. The project team will be working with an Advisory Board to ensure that project will respond to the key challenges related to the utilisation of TRSs as grid-scale energy storage facilities as highlighted in the proposal and benefit a wide range of stakeholders.