With increasing penetration of wind and solar generation the deployment of fast response plant, principally batteries, is currently considered necessary to mitigate reduced system inertia and the possibility of demand-supply imbalances. In this work the impact of these factors on battery cycling rates, taking into account the input from the batteries themselves, are analysed by applying the swing equation to a future inertia based on forecast generation mix. The operational capacity of batteries is a determining factor in their cycling rate, though the depth of discharge appears to be less well correlated. It is found that reducing system inertia does not, of itself, significantly impact on frequency volatility where the volatility of the generation to load imbalance is unchanged. However, the potential for a reduction in the damping of frequency deviations as a result of an increase in inverter connected motor drives may have a large impact on battery cycling characteristics. Provision of reserve services from battery systems requires a more complex operational strategy to ensure services are always deliverable and results in a significantly different cycling profile that may lead to greater battery degradation and consequently higher operational costs.