In this week’s Charging Forward, Zenobe powers up Europe’s biggest battery energy storage system (BESS) in Scotland, Great Britain named the second hottest BESS market in Europe and Ørsted starts work on a battery project connected to the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm.
This week’s headlines:
- Zenobe powers up first phase of 600 MWh Scottish BESS
- Elements Green signs £71.5m deal for Nottinghamshire BESS
- UK, Italy and Germany ‘most attractive battery markets in Europe’
- RES Group submits application for 150 MW Scottish Borders BESS
- Downing gets approval for 100 MW West Midlands BESS
- Ørsted starts work on Hornsea 3 BESS project
- International energy storage news: Hydrostor gets nod for Australian compress air energy storage project & India to build CO2 battery using Energy Dome technology
Zenobe starts up major BESS project in Scotland
UK battery storage developer Zenobe has started commercial operations for the first phase of its 300 MW/600 MWh BESS project in Blackhillock.
Located near the town of Keith in Moray, the first phase consists of a 200 MW BESS with the company planning to add an additional 100 MW in 2026.
Zenobe said the total capacity of the site is the equivalent of powering around 3.1 million homes, substantially more than all the households in Scotland, for one hour.
The company selected the site, between Inverness and Aberdeen, to address grid congestion from the Moray East and Beatrice offshore wind farms and the Viking onshore wind farm on Shetland.
Zenobe said the project, currently Europe’s largest operational BESS, will significantly reduce the amount of curtailed clean energy from the wind projects.
© Supplied by ZenobeIn addition, the Blackhillock BESS will be the first to provide stability services to the National Energy System Operator (NESO).
Zenobe estimates the site will save consumers over £170 million over the next 15 years.
The company said it also prevent approximately 2.6 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions during this period by integrating more wind power onto the transmission network.
Zenobe founding director James Basden said the first phase of Blackhillock will add more than 30% to Scotland’s operational BESS capacity.
“Battery storage has an essential role to play in our transition to renewable energy, so I’m proud that Zenobe and our partners are leading the way by launching Europe’s largest and most technically advanced battery,” he said.
“As the UK steps up the pace on a transition to renewable power, these services are vital if we are to ensure the reliability and affordability of our grid moving forwards.”
NESO chief executive Fintan Slye delivery of the Blackhillock BESS a “major accomplishment, while UK energy minister Michael Shanks said British battery sites “will protect households and boost our energy security for good”.
Elements Green signs £71.5m deal for Nottinghamshire BESS
UK solar and energy storage developer Elements Green has signed a £71.5 million deal with Mitie to build a 720 MWh BESS in Staythorpe, Nottinghamshire.
Mitie subsidiary G2 Energy will design and build the Staythorpe BESS, located close to the Staythorpe combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station.
Elements Green said the 360 MW/720 MWh project will have the capacity to power more than 95,000 homes for a full day with an operational life of 40 years.
The company expects to create around 60 jobs over the course of construction.
Elements Green chief executive Rasmus Friis said the partnership with Mitie marks a “major step forward” in delivering one of Europe’s largest energy storage projects.
Friis said the Staythorpe BESS will “strengthen grid resilience, drive the transition to a low-carbon economy, and deliver lasting benefits to communities and businesses nationwide”.
Italy, UK and Germany ‘most attractive battery markets in Europe’
Aurora Energy Research has named Italy, the UK and Germany as the most attractive markets for BESS investment in Europe.
The analyst firm assessed BESS markets in 28 European countries alongside key market trends and regulatory shifts.
Aurora said Italy leads the rankings, driven by its 50 GWh battery capacity market by 2030.
The UK (excluding Northern Ireland) follows in second place, with a “strong installed capacity of 4.3 GW, an established battery industry estimated to more than double to 10.6 G, with attractive revenue streams reinforcing its position”, Aurora said.
Meanwhile, Germany overtook Ireland to take third position due to its “strong market outlook and ambitious renewable energy targets”.
© Supplied by StatkraftElsewhere, Aurora said while Italy, Great Britain and Germany are attractive due to the large levels of investment, Belgium, Hungary and Greece are “emerging as key opportunities” for smaller investors or those with a “higher risk appetite”, Aurora said.
Overall, Aurora estimates Europe will expand its grid-scale BESS capacity from 10.3 GW in October 2024 to reach 55 GW by 2030 and 126 GW by 2050.
Europe is “cementing its role as a global hub” for BESS investments, Aurora said, with the sector “on track for exponential growth”.
Aurora Energy Research senior associate Eva Zimmermann said the European grid-scale storage market remains strong.
“However, battery markets have complex revenue-cost dynamics, and European markets differ in size, revenue streams, and risk levels,” Zimmermann said.
“This becomes apparent when comparing even our top markets, Italy and Great Britain:
“While Italy holds opportunities to enter the market as a developer looking for greenfield projects, the pipeline in Great Britain is full, hence only being attractive for investors in further advanced projects.”
RES submits plans for Scottish Borders BESS
UK renewable energy developer RES has submitted a planning application the Scottish government for a 150 MW BESS project in the Scottish Borders.
The Bishops Dal BESS site is located between the villages of Leitholm and Birgham in Berwickshire.
RES said it chose the site for its proximity to the adjacent Eccles substation, with the project designed to minimise land use and to allow for farming to continue in the same field.
RES development project manager for Bishops Dal John Hills said the company whilst increasing UK BESS capacity is important, the company is “mindful of local residents’ concerns”.
Throughout every stage of our development plans, any potential cumulative impacts with other developments have been carefully considered and mitigated where appropriate,” Hills said.
“We know too that the eventual decommissioning and restoration of BESS sites is of importance to the local community.”
Hills said RES had met a target to recycle 98% of all materials in the decommissioning of two other BESS projects, having returned the land to its original use.
“These projects will serve as a blueprint for future decommissioning projects and demonstrates our commitment to sustainable practices in the industry,” he said.
Downing gets approval for 100 MW West Midlands BESS
Downing Renewable Developments (DRD) has secured planning consent for a 100 MW/200 MWh BESS site close to Rowley Regis in the West Midlands.
The Edwin Richards Energy Storage Park will store enough energy to power up to 300,000 homes over a two-hour period, DRD said.
The Glasgow-based company is developing the project alongside FCC Environment, a UK waste and resource management business.
The two firms are collaborating on the development of a significant portfolio of renewable energy sites including onshore wind, battery storage and solar.
Overall, DRD is developing a 6 GW pipeline of development projects across the UK.
FCC Environment chief executive Steve Longdon, said: “As one of the UK’s largest waste and resource businesses, we know it’s our duty to do the best by our environment and the communities in which we operate.
“We have a large landholding across the UK, and it is our responsibility as land stewards to manage that land in a sustainable way and return it back to productive environmental use once it is no longer required for operational purposes.”
DRD head Tony Gannon said: “Our relationship with FCC Environment has been an important step as we continue to grow our business, particularly given the joint benefits we can achieve of using largely brownfield land for renewable energy purposes.
“We look forward to building on this partnership as we continue to develop further projects.”
Ørsted starts work on Hornsea 3 BESS project
Danish state-owned renewable energy developer Ørsted has broken ground on a 300 MW BESS project connected to the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm.
The 600 MWh project is located near Norwich in Norfolk, and is named Iceni after the Norfolk-based warrior tribe of the Roman era.
Ørsted expects the site will be operational by the end of 2026, delivering storage capacity equivalent to the daily power consumption of 80,000 UK homes.
Ørsted project manager Beatrice d’Eufemia said the “very exciting project” is the company’s first large-scale battery installation in the UK.
In addition, d’Eufemia said the project is also an important step for the wider UK energy sector as it involves two generators using one shared grid connection.
“Success here, opens up the possibilities for increased use of existing grid infrastructure in the UK, which is critical when there is a real issue of congestion in the network,” d’Eufemia said.
International energy storage news
Hydrostor gets nod for 1600 MWh Australian project
Canadian long duration energy storage developer Hydrostor has secured planning consent for a 200 MW/1600 MWh compressed air energy storage (CAES) project in Australia.
Hydrostor plans to begin construciton on the the Silver City Energy Storage Centre (SCESC) later this year after gaining approval from the New South Wales (NSW) state government.
Located near the remote outback town of Broken Hill, Hydrostor said the CAES project will replace ageing diesel generators which are nearing end-of-life.
The Toronto-headquartered company said the SCESC project will protect against future blackouts in the remote community by forming the backbone of a mini-grid.
© HydrostorSCESC will draw from existing renewable energy infrastructure in the region, which is currently sitting idle due to an outage, Hydrostor said.
When fully operational, the company said the plant will be able to supply Broken Hill with power “for days, if not weeks”.
Hydrostor also expects to provide more than 700 jobs during construction, and up to 35 ongoing operational jobs.
NSW minister for climate change and energy Penny Sharpe said the Hydrostor project “boosts the reliability of the NSW electricity grid”.
“Energy storage solutions like this will go a long way to preventing blackouts like the ones the Far West experienced last year,” Sharpe said.
“The project will provide construction and ongoing jobs, and will put Broken Hill on the map as a nation leader in renewable energy.”
Hydrostor senior vice president Martin Becker said the approval marks a “significant step” in the company’s journey in Australia and the country’s adoption of long duration storage.
Approval for the Australian project comes shortly after Hydrostor secured a $200m (£155m) investment to progress the development of its CAES projects.
India to build CO2 battery using Energy Dome technology
Indian power generation company NTPC Ltd is set to build its first CO2 battery energy storage project using technology developed by Italian firm Energy Dome.
The 160 MWh CO2 battery will be built next to the NTPC 4 GW Kudgi coal-fired power station in the Indian state of Karnataka by Triveni Turbine on a turnkey basis.
NTPC said the project is part of its wider strategy to diversify its energy portfolio and increase the share of renewable energy generation in its total capacity.
The project will also provide opportunities for India’s industrial supply chain for further domestic CO2 battery projects, NTPC said, alongside the potential for global export.
© Supplied by Energy DomeNTPC chairman and managing director Shri. Gurdeep Singh said the Kudgi CO2 battery is a “landmark development” for long duration energy storage in India.
Energy Dome founder and chief executive Claudio Spadacini said the project will create “win-win opportunities” for all three firms.
“Our collaboration with Triveni Turbines and NTPC to deploy the CO2 battery achieves this by advancing NTPC’s decarbonisation goals and round-the-clock power delivery while strengthening India’s local supply chain through domestic sourcing,” Spadacini said.
“This project not only demonstrates the potential of sustainable innovation but also establishes a key global reference for our transformative technology, contributing to a cleaner and more resilient energy future.”
Energy Dome is also progressing CO2 battery projects in the US state of Wisconsin and on the Italian island of Sardinia.
