EDF is set to optimise Gresham House Energy Storage Fund’s 50MW Wickham Market lithium-ion battery site.
The French energy giant will use its Powershift platform to optimise the asset to deliver optimal value and minimise battery degradation at the site in Suffolk, England.
Capable of storing 75MWh of energy, the site is one of the largest in the UK. The number of 50MW projects is growing however, with Gresham alone owning a number of largescale sites such as Thurcroft (50MW) and Red Scar (49MW).
In July, regulations were also changed to allow even larger storage projects, removing the limit of 50MW in England and 350MW in Wales. Already this has enabled the UK’s largest ever project to be announced, with InterGen’s 320MW battery set to dwarf others in the country.
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EDF’s Powershift platform will allow energy flow to be directed into markets such as Dynamic Containment. Launched by National Grid ESO earlier this year, the new mechanism offers prices as high as £17/MW/h, almost three times that offered for other frequency services in the UK, further making battery energy storage attractive.
Recently, EDF has signed a number of agreements with battery storage owners, including to optimise SWGT‘s 30MW utility-scale battery earlier in December. The company is also working to build up its own battery portfolio, investing in cleantech startup PowerUp to support its 10GW of storage by 2035 ambition.
Stuart Fenner, head of energy trading services at EDF, added that the UK’s transition to low-carbon technologies “will increasingly draw on the flexibility of assets such as these,” as the country works towards net zero by 2050.
“We are determined to play a major role in this market and are excited to support Gresham House from the outset with this project. This deal reinforces our commitment to helping Britain achieve net zero carbon emissions and supports our position as a leader in battery optimisation services in the UK. Our highly skilled trading teams are able to develop and execute a range of trading strategies to deliver maximum value for our clients.”
This article was originally published on fellow Solar Media Site Current, to see the original article click here.
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