Energy storage  company RedT and Open Energi have combined to pre-qualify a new type of storage –  vanadium redox flow - to provide Dynamic Firm Frequency Response (dFFR) services to National Grid ESO.

RedT’s 300kWh flow machine is situated at an industrial site in Dorset, coupled with 250kWp of solar panels. The customer can save on their energy bill by maximising PV use,  purchasing energy from the grid at off-peak prices and opening up new revenue streams in the form of ancillary services including frequency response.  

The machine uses Open Energi’s Dynamic Demand 2.0 energy optimisation platform, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to control it. The ancillary services market helps balance out fluctuations in the national electricity network caused by over or under supply, outages and variable plant.  The storage market has so far been dominated by lithium-ion batteries. 

Red T chief executive Scott McGrego said: “Flow machines are traditionally thought of as long duration energy storage assets and there is a common misperception flow machines can’t provide the fast response required for grid services. With the help of Open Energi and their impressive Dynamic Demand 2.0 platform, we have been able to prove that our flow machines can provide a full range of services with no marginal degradation cost per cycle, making them a viable and economically attractive alternative to traditional lithium-ion systems.”

David Hill, Director at Open Energi, said: “As the UK continues to prioritise investment in renewable energy, it will require a broad suite of technologies to balance the grid effectively and harness additional flexible capacity.”