Anesco Battery Storage Units
Modo Energy releases data reflecting a rise in battery storage dispatch rates. Image: Anesco

In the eight weeks following the bulk dispatch relaunch, energy consultant Modo Energy published data confirming a 47% increase in weekly battery storage dispatched volume.

In January 2024, National Grid ESO (ESO) relaunched bulk dispatch for battery energy storage units in the Balancing Mechanism (BM) following its closure in December 2023 due to technical issues.

The bulk dispatch functionality allows for more battery instructions to be issued simultaneously.

According to ESO data, approximately half of the battery unit dispatch volume is now being instructed through the Open Balancing Platform (OBP).

The impact of this re-introduction was felt across the battery storage marketplace, both in the increase of weekly dispatches and a newfound lack of correlation between unit size and dispatch rate.

Modo noted that the increase from both system-flagged and energy actions was led mainly by an increase in offer volume, which rose by 54%. In addition, 86% of individual battery units have experienced rises in dispatch volume, whilst the remaining 14% has decreased since the relaunch of bulk dispatch.

On average, batteries were dispatched at 2.2MWh/MW of the unit’s rated power before bulk dispatch. Following bulk dispatch, batteries are dispatched at 3.6MWh/MW.

This article was first posted on our sister site, Current±. You can read the full article here.