Europe’s largest battery powers up in Blackhillock, in Moray

Zenobē, an proprietor and operator of grid-scale batteries on the GB transmission community, has introduced that Europe’s largest battery website, situated in Blackhillock, Scotland, has begun business operations.

The Blackhillock website is launching in two phases. Section 1 includes of 200MW which went dwell on 3 March and will probably be adopted by an extra 100MW in 2026, making a complete of 300MW/600MWh. The whole capability of the location is the equal of powering over 3.1 million houses, stated the group, considerably greater than all of the households in Scotland, for one hour.

Intentionally situated 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 venture is alleged to considerably cut back the quantity of wasted clear vitality and is a vital milestone to reaching the UK authorities’s mission to have a web zero energy grid by 2030.

Battery storage performs a essential position within the UK’s web zero transition with over 22GW required at the least within the Authorities’s Clear Energy 2030 Plan. As Britain will increase its reliance on renewable vitality sources similar to wind and photo voltaic, batteries like Blackhillock will be sure that extra energy will be saved after which used throughout occasions of elevated demand.

Along with being Europe’s largest battery, the Blackhillock website would be the first on the planet to supply Stability Providers 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 location to harness the renewable vitality on its transmission community.

EDF Wholesale Market Providers would be the Path to Market supplier for the location, via 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 client payments nationwide,” stated a press launch from the group. “The positioning is anticipated to save lots of shoppers over £170 million over the subsequent 15 years. It is going to additionally stop roughly 2.6 million tonnes of CO₂ from coming into the environment throughout this era by integrating extra wind energy onto the transmission community.”

Commenting, Zenobē Founder Director James Basden stated: “At present marks a essential 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 venture has further significance, with the Blackhillock website being the primary transmission related battery on the planet to ship Stability Providers alongside a number of different essential providers. Because the UK steps up the tempo on a transition to renewable energy, these providers are 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, stated: “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 aim. Battery storage is essential to the long run 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 stated: “”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 change 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 scale back our reliance on fossil fuels – which can defend households and increase our vitality safety for good.”

Zenobē, an proprietor and operator of grid-scale batteries on the GB transmission community, has introduced that Europe’s largest battery website, situated in Blackhillock, Scotland, has begun business operations.

The Blackhillock website is launching in two phases. Section 1 includes of 200MW which went dwell on 3 March and will probably be adopted by an extra 100MW in 2026, making a complete of 300MW/600MWh. The whole capability of the location is the equal of powering over 3.1 million houses, stated the group, considerably greater than all of the households in Scotland, for one hour.

Intentionally situated 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 venture is alleged to considerably cut back the quantity of wasted clear vitality and is a vital milestone to reaching the UK authorities’s mission to have a web zero energy grid by 2030.

Battery storage performs a essential position within the UK’s web zero transition with over 22GW required at the least within the Authorities’s Clear Energy 2030 Plan. As Britain will increase its reliance on renewable vitality sources similar to wind and photo voltaic, batteries like Blackhillock will be sure that extra energy will be saved after which used throughout occasions of elevated demand.

Along with being Europe’s largest battery, the Blackhillock website would be the first on the planet to supply Stability Providers 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 location to harness the renewable vitality on its transmission community.

EDF Wholesale Market Providers would be the Path to Market supplier for the location, via 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 client payments nationwide,” stated a press launch from the group. “The positioning is anticipated to save lots of shoppers over £170 million over the subsequent 15 years. It is going to additionally stop roughly 2.6 million tonnes of CO₂ from coming into the environment throughout this era by integrating extra wind energy onto the transmission community.”

Commenting, Zenobē Founder Director James Basden stated: “At present marks a essential 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 venture has further significance, with the Blackhillock website being the primary transmission related battery on the planet to ship Stability Providers alongside a number of different essential providers. Because the UK steps up the tempo on a transition to renewable energy, these providers are 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, stated: “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 aim. Battery storage is essential to the long run 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 stated: “”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 change 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 scale back our reliance on fossil fuels – which can defend households and increase our vitality safety for good.”