A project has been launched in Orkney, Scotland, to create a "green" electricity grid mixing renewable energy with battery technology.
The scheme will use domestic batteries and electric vehicles to balance the local power network by meeting supply with demand.
It is being backed by £14.3 million of UK Government funding with the aim of providing electricity from renewables which do not rely on fossil fuels when turbines are not turning.
Orkney has been chosen due its high take-up of micro-generation, with 10% of homes creating their own electricity, compared to the UK average of 2.8%.
It has 2kW of renewable energy capacity per property which is 900% more than the UK average, and has four times more electric vehicles per home.
UK Energy Minister Claire Perry commented that this is a "test bed for the energy system of the future" which could be rolled out across the UK and exported around the world.
"These smart systems are a key part of our modern Industrial Strategy and will provide cheaper, greener and more flexible access to energy for everyone".
The £28.5 million project will create a "smart energy group of islands" where software balances local supply, storage and demand. It should make electricity cheaper and eventually remove the need for fossil fuels. Small batteries will be offered to homes with existing wind and solar technology while larger ones will be installed at businesses and public buildings.
Gareth Davies, from renewable energy consultants Aquatera, commented "a key part of this project is to start building in local resilience and capacity within our local energy system" instead of relying on the UK for delivering a balancing service.
Existing infrastructure in renewable energy is capable of generating 130% of Orkney's annual electricity demands. With a steady increase in drivers switching to electric vehicles, that growth is expected to increase the demand on the energy grid. However, as cars are only used for a relatively small part of each day, the batteries in electronic vehicles can be used as an energy source when electricity demand is high.
Adele Lidderdale from Orkney Islands Council added that electric vehicles are an important part of the project, with the hope that the amount of electronic vehicles in Orkley will increase to 10%.
"In Scotland they've made commitments to reduce fossil fuel vehicles and by 2032 we need to be seeing more electric vehicles on the road".
Neil Kermode, managing director of the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) commented on the project, that "this is a way that unlocks the complicated process of using renewables for heat and transport as well as electricity".
