Battery storage is booming — but how does it really work, and why does it matter? In this episode of the Fully Charged Show Podcast, Imogen sits down with Ed Porter from @modoenergy one of the UK's leading experts on battery energy storage systems (BESS), to demystify the critical role batteries are already playing in balancing the grid — and what’s still to come. From frequency regulation and price arbitrage to blackouts and the path to clean power by 2030, we explore how grid-scale batteries are transforming our energy system faster than you think. Ed shares his insights on:
- Why batteries are replacing gas in grid services — and slashing costs.
- What dynamic frequency response actually means
- How the UK went from 0 to 5.3 GW of battery storage — and where we go from here
- Why the “1.5-hour” battery duration isn't a limitation, but a smart design choice
- How we plan to survive “Dunkelflaute” and keep the lights on in winter.
Enjoy! @fullychargedshow @EverythingElectricShow Find out more about the Modo Energy Terminal:
https://modoenergy.com/ 00:00 Introduction 01:01 Ad Break 01:16 Modo Energy 04:09 Why do we need Grid Scale Batteries? 06:07 Batteries and frequency in the system 09:07 80% Cost reduction vs gas! 12:17 Are we deploying batteries fast enough? 16:09 1.5 hour battery duration?! 19:02 What about “Dunkelflaute”?! and a note on CCUS... 26:00 Decoupling the cost of electricity from gas?! 29:13 A whole new system? 37:15 Should energy be free?! 40:53 Negative pricing 43:26 What the UK can learn from Texas 46:00 Please like and subscribe! This episode is sponsored by Duracell Energy! Enter the Free Prize Draw to WIN your own Duracell Energy bunny here:
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