BESS: The charged debate over battery energy storage systems, bbc.co.uk

Complaint

This online article provided a brief summary of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the UK and how they can store electricity generated from renewable sources to meet future electricity demand.  It included a contribution from a professor of public policy and sustainability which, in the view of a reader, gave a misleading impression of the UK’s current energy storage capacity.  The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½â€™s editorial standards of accuracy. 


Outcome

The ECU established that the professor had been referring to generating capacity, not storage capacity.  However, his contribution had been placed in a context where readers  would probably have understood him to be referring to the latter, and would have formed an inaccurate view of the UK’s current storage capacity as a result.

Upheld


Further action

The finding was discussed with the journalists concerned and the article has been appropriately amended.