Zenobē, an proprietor and operator of grid-scale batteries on the GB transmission community, has introduced that Europe’s largest battery website, positioned in Blackhillock, Scotland, has begun industrial operations.
The Blackhillock website is launching in two phases. Section 1 includes of 200MW which went stay on 3 March and will probably be adopted by an additional 100MW in 2026, making a complete of 300MW/600MWh. The overall capability of the positioning is the equal of powering over 3.1 million properties, mentioned the group, considerably greater than all of the households in Scotland, for one hour.
Intentionally positioned between Inverness and Aberdeen to deal with grid congestion from Viking (443 MW), Moray East (950 MW) and Beatrice (588 MW) offshore wind farms, the challenge is claimed to considerably cut back the quantity of wasted clear vitality and is a crucial milestone to reaching the UK authorities’s mission to have a internet zero energy grid by 2030.
Battery storage performs a crucial position within the UK’s internet zero transition with over 22GW required at least within the Authorities’s Clear Energy 2030 Plan. As Britain will increase its reliance on renewable vitality sources akin to wind and photo voltaic, batteries like Blackhillock will be certain that extra energy could be saved after which used throughout instances of elevated demand.
Along with being Europe’s largest battery, the Blackhillock website would be the first on the planet to offer Stability Companies to the Nationwide Power System Operator (NESO) to make renewable energy safer and dependable. Wärtsilä is supplying its Quantum vitality storage system expertise and GEMS Digital Power Platform with SMA grid forming inverters enabling a resilient energy system with excessive energy high quality. Scottish and Southern Electrical energy Networks (SSEN) delivered the grid connection required for the positioning to harness the renewable vitality on its transmission community.
EDF Wholesale Market Companies would be the Path to Market supplier for the positioning, by way of its market main buying and selling platform, Powershift. This platform mixed with Zenobē’s battery optimisation specialists will construct extra flexibility into the grid, important to lowering wind curtailment and accelerating the decarbonisation of the community.
“By integrating this cutting-edge expertise, Blackhillock will improve the reliability of the UK’s rising renewable energy system and assist cut back shopper payments nationwide,” mentioned a press launch from the group. “The location is predicted to avoid wasting customers over £170 million over the following 15 years. It is going to additionally stop roughly 2.6 million tonnes of CO₂ from coming into the ambiance throughout this era by integrating extra wind energy onto the transmission community.”
Commenting, Zenobē Founder Director James Basden mentioned: “Right now marks a crucial juncture in Britain’s clear energy journey as Zenobē provides over 30% to the capability of operational battery storage in Scotland. Battery storage has a vital position to play in our transition to renewable vitality, so I’m proud that Zenobē and our companions are main the way in which by launching Europe’s largest and most technically superior battery.
“This challenge has extra significance, with the Blackhillock website being the primary transmission linked battery on the planet to ship Stability Companies alongside a number of different essential providers. Because the UK steps up the tempo on a transition to renewable energy, these providers are very important if we’re to make sure the reliability and affordability of our grid shifting forwards.”
Fintan Slye, CEO of the Nationwide Power System Operator, mentioned: “Our 2025 ambition to allow zero carbon operation of Nice Britain’s nationwide electrical energy community is central to NESO’s mission. The supply by Zenobe of this grid forming battery is a serious accomplishment and brings us a step nearer to this purpose. Battery storage is crucial to the longer term reliability and affordability of the UK grid and pairing it with this grid forming expertise can unlock even larger resilience for a net-zero community.”
Power Minister Michael Shanks mentioned: “”We’re losing no time in delivering clear energy by 2030, with the Blackhillock battery website marking the most recent milestone in delivering our mission to turn into a clear vitality superpower.
“With each wind turbine put up, photo voltaic panel put in, and battery facility constructed, we’re defending households from future vitality shocks.
“Battery websites like this are serving to retailer our clear, surplus vitality to cut back our reliance on fossil fuels – which is able to shield households and increase our vitality safety for good.”
