The UK Government will consider opening up the Capacity Market to solar and wind generation under a newly published review into the Market’s scope, objectives and the way it is regulated. The review by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) department, states that ministers will consider whether subsidy-free solar and wind power should be allowed to participate in the next Capacity Market auction, which is set to take place in the winter of 2019-2020. Renewables have historically been denied access to the market due to concerns about the intermittent nature of the electricity they generate. Energy storage is viewed as a solution to these issues, but the technology is still in its infancy. But the review’s call for evidence document states that there are now “good reasons to allow wind and potentially solar” to participate in the Capacity Market, and that such a move could “increase competition, auction liquidity and value for money for consumers”.
Edie 10th Aug 2018 read more »
