UK battery energy storage system (BESS) investment fund Gresham House Energy Storage Fund has announced its half-year results to the end of June 2024.
Operational capacity in MWh increased 46% year-over-year for the London Stock Exchange-listed fund, hitting 931MWh during the results period and crossing the 1GWh milestone shortly after the period ended. In MW, operational capacity rose to 790MW, up 34% from June 2023’s 590MW.
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However, despite this capacity growth, operational portfolio revenues decreased 12.8% year on year, falling from £20.5 million (US$27.23 million) in June 2023 to £17.9 million. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) declined from £13.8 million to £10.4 million, with Gresham House blaming this 23.9% drop on “especially difficult market conditions” in the first quarter of this year. Net asset values also declined over H12024, dropping 19.91p to hit 109.16p per share.
Gresham House Energy Storage Fund has had something of a turbulent year, alongside other major players in the BESS sector. In a trading update in February this year, the company stated the UK BESS market was suffering from a “weak revenue environment”, a fact confirmed in April by the release of its audited annual results which showed the fund swinging to a £110 million loss from a £217 million profit the previous year. The fund made the decision to pause shareholder dividends, a choice also made by fellow investment fund Harmony Energy Income Trust.
However, there may be good news on the horizon for Gresham House, as net revenues in July and August averaged at the highest levels of the year so far, roughly 25% higher than average net revenues in H12024.
Additionally, several major projects are set to go through energisation and commissioning in October and November this year, including the 40MW/80MWh Shilton Lane project, the 50MW/100MWh Elland project, and the augmentation of the Penwortham system, which will gain an additional 50MWh. The Melksham project in Wiltshire has begun its augmentation and is expected to begin operating with 150MWh in October before being expanded to 200MWh in December.
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