Energy storage |
wasted wind generated electricity and, according the way to achieving the UK government’s mission to have a net zero power grid by 2030. Battery storage plays a critical role in the UK’s net zero transition, as it does elsewhere, with over 22 GW required as a minimum to deliver the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 plan. In addition to being Europe’s largest battery, the Blackhillock site will provide stability services to the National Energy System Operator (NESO), “to make renewable power more secure and
The battery technology has been provided by Wärtsilä, which is supplying its Quantum energy storage system plus GEMS Digital Energy Platform with SMA grid forming inverters, “enabling a resilient power system with high power quality.” GEMS eases network constraints by importing electricity at times of peak renewable generation, says Wärtsilä, and ”its data-based intelligence will UK electricity markets.”
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) delivered the grid connection for Blackhillock. EDF Wholesale Market Services is the route to market provider for the site, via its trading platform, Powershift. This platform, combined reducing wind curtailment and accelerating the By integrating this technology, Blackhillock will “enhance the reliability of the UK’s growing renewable power system and help reduce tonnes of CO2
from entering the atmosphere
during this period by enabling the accommodation of more wind power on the transmission network.
The new battery system adds over 30% to the capacity of operational battery storage in Scotland. It is estimated that its capacity will be equivalent to powering >3.1 million homes for
£101 million debt financing via a long-term debt facility from a club of five banks. The debt structure includes an “accordion facility” to debt finance to 100 MW, the second phase of the project. The estimated consumer savings of £172 million reflect savings of £8 million from avoiding the use of combined cycle power plants to provide inertia and short circuit level plus savings balancing services and constraint management to the grid and helping reduce price volatility. The and constraint management assumes, with degradation over the lifetime considered, that the battery cycles twice a day. The estimated CO2
savings are benchmarked
against the provision of power and/or stability 2
2
The carbon intensity of imported energy to charge the battery is assumed to be the 2
e/kWh) or e/kWh.
e/kWh. This
considering the high penetration of renewable generation and otherwise curtailed power in Scotland when the battery would charge. The Blackhillock battery system together with the Rothienorman synchronous condenser facility (developed by WP Grid Services and Quinbrook) are the first two grid stability projects to go live of the ten awarded under Phase 2 of the UK National Energy System Operator (NESO) Stability Pathfinder tender programme, aimed at securing future network resilience. The
ten projects (total contract value £323 million consisted of five synchronous condensers and five grid forming batteries.
Initially contracted as part of the Pathfinder phased out as part of the UK government’s 2030 will have the opportunity to participate in specific markets for stability services.
Matt Magill, Director of Engineering and Customer Solutions, National Energy System Operator, describes the Blackhillock project as “pivotal,” As the first grid forming battery on the system, it “will unlock new tools for the long-term resilience and security of supply of the electricity system, whilst supporting the delivery of zero- carbon operation.”
Wärtsilä is supplying a second battery project under the NESO Stability Pathfinder programme. storage system, will employ Wärtsilä’s Quantum storage specialist, headquartered in the UK. The company began operations in 2017 and now employs over 300 people.
operation or under construction. It has around supports over 2000 electric vehicles across 120 depots globally. The company says it is the largest Australia and New Zealand.
Dramatic rise in US battery installed capacity
Cumulative U.S. utility-scale battery power capacity (2011–2025) gigawatts (GW)
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
0 5
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Cumulative US utility-scale battery power capacity (2011–2025), GW. (Data source: US Energy Information Administration, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory
28 | April 2025|
www.modernpowersystems.com
planned capacity
2024 operating capacity 26 GW
Cumulative utility-scale battery storage capacity to the US Energy Information Administration’s Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory the second largest generating capacity addition after solar. Even though battery storage was only 2% of the 1230 GW of utility-scale electricity generating capacity in the United States.
battery storage could set a record as operators battery storage to the grid, according to the Energy Information Administration’s January data.
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