Energy storage initiatives advance in Great Britain and Belize

In Great Britain, the energy regulator Ofgem is consulting on a major intervention to address an oversupply of projects in the grid connection queue. The regulator is considering an Oversubscribed Technologies Commitment Fee (OTCF) for battery energy storage systems (BESS). This fee would require operators to provide financial security to maintain their place in the queue, with costs potentially ranging from GBP 3,000 to GBP 25,000 per MW depending on the level of oversubscription. Current estimates suggest that if all projects with connection offers were built, capacity would exceed the 2030 clean power target by 14.8 GW.

Separately, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a $23.75 million financing package for a rural electrification program in Belize. The initiative aims to provide electricity to approximately 3,000 households through the deployment of solar minigrids equipped with battery energy storage systems (BESS) and smart metering. The program will focus on rural communities, including Indigenous and immigrant populations, while also expanding distribution networks and supporting local economic activity through improved energy access.