Throughout the world a large-scale energy transition is unfolding. This fundamentally includes a vast expansion of variable renewable energy (VRE) generation. In Britain this primarily consists of onshore and offshore wind, as well as solar. The non-dispatchability of these technologies presents a unique range of challenges for the energy network.

This thesis investigates the key difficulties of renewable energy integration in Britain, as well as some potential solutions. Renewables integration is investigated using a multidomain methodology to process and model live data. Using a knowledge graph supported infrastructure, the British energy network is modelled. This consists of a representation of Britain’s transmission network, power plants, and energy storage capabilities (both existing, and potential future expansions). These research investigations are expanded upon with respect to energy policy, and energy market modelling.

A north/south divide is identified as a fundamental transmission limitation using both economic dispatch and curtailment analysis methodologies. From a network perspective, this inflexibility is particularly significant with respect to wind power from Scotland (both onshore and offshore), resulting in increased rates of curtailment. From a market perspective, a lower percentage rate of dispatchable energy penetration coincides with increased market volatility to the point where even coal has been strategically dispatched at higher prices, at a rate not seen in recent years prior. Co-located energy storage systems (ESSs) were modelled with the ability to both arbitrage price, and charge using otherwise curtailed energy to simulate their potential as a solution to both these challenges.

ESSs co-located with Scottish wind farms were found to reduce curtailment volumes significantly compared to southern placements, while the latter achieved faster payback due to a greater of unconstrained opportunities to arbitrage prices. All ESSs, however, achieved payback due to significant energy price volatility experienced in recent years. Given these ongoing challenges to the electrical grid and markets, the role and placement of storage will remain topics of key significance, upon which these findings shed novel insight.