France’s Engie has acquired a 50MW battery storage project in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Engie secured the site from developers Ethical Power, EcoDev, Hive Energy, Sirius Group.
The Energy System is Transforming
The UK electricity grid is being transformed, with carbon-emitting baseload being replaced by renewable energy supplies to decarbonise the network. But since much renewable generation is intermittent, the UK needs more battery storage capacity to help maintain security of supply.
Energy released from battery storage onto the grid can be used to balance within-day differences between demand and generation.
About Engie
ENGIE is leading the way in the energy transition. They are committed to supporting the growth of battery storage in the UK. Engie also owns a 75% share and operate the UK’s largest pumped hydro power station in the UK at Dinorwig in Snowdonia, North Wales. Its one of the largest of its type in Europe.
Engie plans
Engie Group announced plans to step up its sustainable growth investments by 50% for the period of 2023-2025. They will be targeting the acceleration of renewables development (both electric and gas) and decarbonisation solutions.
The BESS project in South Lanarkshire is planned to come into service in the second half of 2024. Engie’s target is to add 10GW of battery storage capacity to the grid by 2030. Their plans apply mainly to the EU, UK and USA.
This latest UK site acquisition, together with another 50MW site secured in late 2022, is an important milestone towards Engie’s global battery energy storage system (BESS) ambitions.
National Grid Connection
The Broxburn facility will be installed about 30 miles (48 km) away from the 50-MW Cathkin battery scheme near East Kilbride. Engie bought Cathkin in November 2022. Both Broxburn and Cathkin are planned to connect to the 33-kV network at the same time in the second half of 2024.
The two battery systems will be run alongside Engie’s 2.1 GW of pumped storage facilities in North Wales, the company noted.
The latest purchase is aligned with Engie’s goal to boost its flexible generation capacity and have 10 GW of battery storage systems installed globally by 2030, mainly in Europe and the US. The plan is underpinned by a 50% increase in the group’s planned sustainable growth investments in 2023-2025.
Says Aidan Connolly, Head of Battery Storage UK;
The acquisition of the 50MW Broxburn project strategically complements Engie’s recent acquisition of a 50MW project at Cathkin (East Kilbride), with both projects 30 miles from each other, connecting to the 33kV network at the exact same time.
The project highlights ENGIE’s commitment to building upon its leading position in the UK’s power flexibility market, where these BESS assets will operate alongside Engie’s existing 2.1GW of pumped storage capacity in North Wales.
We were happy to work with EcoDev, Sirius Renewable Energy, and Ethical Power Connections, on this acquisition.
Further reading
https://www.jpsil.co.uk/content/bess-battery-energy-storage-system
https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-is-battery-storage
https://renewablesnow.com/news/engie-buys-50-mw-battery-storage-project-in-scotland-803765/