The Connectology® Podcast by Roadnight Taylor

#71 Battery Storage Market Realities with Ed Porter, Modo Energy

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In this episode of the Connectology® podcast, Connectologist® Catherine Cleary speaks with Ed Porter from Modo Energy about where battery storage stands today and what's ahead for developers and investors.

Key topics:

  • Market maturation – Batteries have moved beyond saturated frequency response into wholesale trading, attracting utilities and institutional investors with serious capital.
  • Subsidy reality – Batteries account for just 0.5% of UK energy subsidies since 2014 yet deliver strong consumer cost benefits.
  • Gate 2 challenges – Not all “protected” projects will progress. Oversupplied regions face long connection dates, delayed offers disrupt 2026–27 timelines, and unfrozen liabilities create major risks—especially for hybrid and demand-led sites.
  • Forecasting gap – Clean Power 2030 targets 27GW by 2030, but Modo’s market-led modelling points closer to 55GW long term, highlighting why flexibility matters more than fixed forecasts.
  • Grid-forming reality check – Stability services pay ~£10k/MW/year versus £80–90k/MW needed for viability. Grid-forming should enable higher renewables and reduced gas use—not stand-alone business cases.
  • Falling costs: the game-changer – A 20–30% drop in upfront costs over the last 18 months has transformed battery economics, outweighing most revenue-side changes.
  • Smarter dispatch (GC0166) – Batteries can now report available energy directly, enabling more efficient and flexible system operation.

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    The Connectology® Podcast by Roadnight TaylorBy Roadnight Taylor