The UK is on a path towards a sustainable, decentralised energy system as we transform both the mix of generation sources and the structure of our networks.
Up to three quarters of our power supply is expected to come from renewables by 2050. Over the same timescale, up to 65% of the UK’s generation capacity could be smaller-scale sources, connected to local networks – a transformation from the large-scale power stations plugged into the National Grid, dominating the country’s energy supply for the twentieth century.
The growth of renewables will create more volatility in the market: a greater proportion of our energy supply will be generated by intermittent sources, while demand is forecast to rise from the electrification of heat and electric vehicles. To ensure security of supply, the UK requires sources of reliable and flexible power, able to respond swiftly to fluctuations in supply and – increasingly – address pressure on local networks and constraints in urban areas.
Introducing Urban Reserve
At AMP Clean Energy, our aim is to help businesses to unlock the potential of the transition to a low carbon future. Our expertise in natural gas peaking plants enable us to do this. To date we have developed more than 150 MW of large-scale peaking plants, enough to power around 60,000 homes for a whole year, but our focus is now on smaller assets.
Through our Urban Reserve project, we are developing a fleet of gas peaking plant to provide instant and reliable electricity, when and where it is needed most. Urban Reserve plants can be brought online rapidly at the press of a button, responding swiftly when the market needs more generation supply to meet demand.
Urban Reserve plants are located in towns and cities, placing flexible power at the heart of demand to counter local constraints. With seven consented projects underway and a further seven going through planning, our aim is to develop 100MW of plants in 2019/20 to support the growth of renewables by keeping the grid balanced, whatever the weather.
Urban Reserve plants sit on small pockets of industrial or commercial land that sit closest to areas of high electricity demand. We manage the planning and connection process to build new plants within six weeks, providing land owners with a secure lease income thanks to our clean, safe and reliable plants.
You can find out more by watching this short video or visiting www.ampcleanenergy.com/urban-reserve.
