All-Party Parliamentary Group on Energy Storage

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Energy Storage (APPGES) was, according to the Register of All-Party Parliamentary Groups, designed in 2015 to 'engage parliamentarians interested in energy storage technologies and their applications, bringing them together with businesses, NGOs and experts in the field of energy storage to share information, promote awareness and debate future policy options.'

The Renewable Energy Association's (the group secretariat) website outlines the groups purpose:

'The APPG on Energy Storage has been set up to promote awareness of energy storage technologies and create a dedicated forum to share knowledge and debate future policy options. Bringing together Parliamentarians, businesses, NGOs and experts in the field at a range of events, the APPG will offer a unique platform from which to propel innovative energy storage technologies into the mainstream.'

Background

The Renewable Energy Association's website outlines why the group was set up in the context of the energy industry in a bit more detail;

'Energy storage technologies have the potential to revolutionise the UK’s energy mix, increasing capacity and efficiency across the energy spectrum. Far from belonging to the future energy storage technologies, from big batteries to pumped hydro, are already a reality. Work on their application has begun in the UK, but, if their incredible potential is to be realised, further development and deployment must be actively supported.

'Renewable energy is vital for the UK’s future; it means less reliance on energy imports, lower bills, more jobs and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Growth in renewable technologies is strong but if we are to achieve a sustainable low-carbon future, a solution must be found to the problem of wrong-time or intermittent supply. Energy storage offers such a solution.'

People

Officers as of July 2015

• Chair: Peter Aldous - Conservative Party
• Vice-Chair: Callum McCaig - Scottish National Party
• Vice-Chair: Jonathan Reynolds - Labour
• Vice-Chair: Lord Robin Teverson - Liberal Democrats
• Vice-Chair: Hywel Williams - Plaid Cymru

Secretariat

The Renewable Energy Association acts as the secretariat to the APPGES, helping the officers to manage events and meetings, as well as day-to-day administrative tasks.

As of June 2015, the REA was registered to have paid (in bands of £1,500) £6,001-£7,500 in benefits to the group.