“We discussed extensively with the Minister the importance of energy storage.
I was delighted that the Minister repeated his view that Sunamp is the Scottish Tesla. He recognises that Tesla has raised the pubic awareness of energy storage, and that heat storage is a key part of the total solution. He was delighted to
Sunamp and the Minister found strong commonality of view in a number of areas:
- Storage at homes and businesses can be a key way to utilise renewable electricity and reduce the need for grid reinforcement
- Mr Ewing highlighted that he is keen to work with UK government to develop a storage strategy
Sunamp is delighted that Mr Ewing has driven the process to refine permitted development rights in Scotland relating to fitting Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP). Sunamp heat batteries have been demonstrated with ASHP to deliver a cost of operation 1/2 that of gas central heating. We’re hopeful this revision of the planning rules will help Sunamp deliver many more systems to help alleviate fuel poverty especially in rural Scotland.
Finally we are delighted that the Local Energy Challenge Fund (which falls under Mr Ewing’s purview) is enabling Sunamp (with partners Castle Rock Edinvar, East Lothian Housing Association and Edison Energy) to install over 700 units of SunampPV and other Sunamp Heat Battery products in over 1000 homes across Falkirk, Edinburgh and the Lothians.
This represents over 3 MWh of the world’s most advanced heat storage, delivering immediate benefits in reducing hot water and heating bills in individual homes, while simultaneously creating a large pool of storage for demand-side response in grid stabilisation. The Minister saw hundreds of Heat Batteries in production in Sunamp’s workshop and met members of the production and the development teams.”
