ROUNDUP: UK large-scale battery news from SSE, EDF, TagEnergy

By George Heynes, Lena Dias Martins
May 16, 2023
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Another edition of news in brief, this time from the UK’s booming large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) market.

Scotland’s ‘largest standalone BESS’ goes online

SUSI-Eelpower, a joint venture between SUSI Partners and Eelpower, and EDF Energy have brought Scotland’s “largest” standalone battery storage asset online, the companies said in late April.

The battery energy storage asset, which is situated in the coastal city of Dundee and has an output of 50MW, is set to play a role in the UK energy system by providing a balancing service to National Grid allowing the greater integration of renewable generation.

SUSI-Eelpower selected EDF as the trading and optimisation partner with the firm set to provide market access and optimise operations via their market trading platform across all available revenue streams including balancing mechanism, trading and ancillary services.

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Battery storage sites will play a role in storing the intermittent renewable energy generated from Scotland’s vast wind assets. With the country set to deploy 11GW of offshore wind by 2030, there is a necessity to scale the battery energy storage market to support the renewable generation.

By George Heynes.

To read the full version of this story, visit Solar Power Portal.

Tesla Megapacks go live at TagEnergy 49.5MW/99MWh project

TagEnergy’s largest capacity battery storage facility in the UK – a 49.5MW/99MWh site near Luton in southern England – has gone live.

Located at Chapel Farm the £30 million (US$37.64 million) development is a joint venture with Harmony Energy, following TagEnergy acquiring a 60% stake in the project in November 2021.

Support was also offered in the form of a £12.5 million funding package from Santander.

The Chapel Farm large-scale battery project uses a system of Tesla Megapack lithium-ion batteries alongside Tesla’s Autobidder AI software to be used for real-time trading and control.

Independent renewable company, RES will oversee operations of the site as asset manager.   

Chape Farm is the company’s second UK site to go live following the 20MW/40MWh large-scale battery site in Hawkers Hill Energy Park in Dorset which went live in September 2022. TagEnergy currently has a portfolio it said is close to 4GW across the UK, Portugal, Spain, France and Australia.

By Lena Dias Martins.

To read the full version of this story, visit Solar Power Portal.

SSE to go ahead with 150MW BESS project in northern England

SSE Renewables is set to proceed with and enter into contracts to deliver a 150MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project in West Yorkshire.

The renewable energy arm of SSE confirmed that it had taken a final investment decision to proceed with and has entered into contracts to deliver the project situated at SSE’s former Ferrybridge coal-fired power station. Ferrybridge had been a staple of SSE’s power stations until it was decommissioned in 2016.

The project has a grid connection already confirmed and scheduled for June 2024 with the project expected to be fully operational by late 2024. It is being developed in conjunction with battery technology supplier Sungrow Power Supply and construction partner OCU Services.

The Ferrybridge project will become SSE Renewables’ second battery storage project in delivery with the company already constructing a 50MW project in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

SSE Renewables recently added SSE’s Solar and Battery team to its own arm to advance the delivery of a nearly 2GW project pipeline in the UK and Ireland and its expansion into Europe, as reported by Solar Power Portal.

The SSE Solar and Battery’s 100-person team was previously incubated in SSE plc’s Enterprise division.

By George Heynes.

To read the full version of this story visit Solar Power Portal.

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