Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of thermal energy storage within heat networks on the (a) need for grid reinforcement and (b) operation of the electricity system.

The Department has not yet made a full quantitative assessment of the flexibility benefits of thermal energy storage within heat networks.

The electricity distribution network benefits of heat networks has been estimated at between £5 to 7bn in avoided costs, and external research suggests that flexibility would significantly increase this amount.

The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan establishes our high ambition to increase flexible capacity on the grid, including 10-12 GW in short-duration consumer-led flexibility by 2030. Our Clean Flexibility Roadmap ensures that heat networks and thermal energy storage will contribute to this.