SSE Renewables begin construction on the UK’s largest energy storage site
SSE Renewables have begun the construction of a 320mwh/640mwh battery energy storage system (BESS) site which could be the largest under construction BESS in the country.
The renewable energy arm of the UK based utility SSE have taken a Final investment Decision (FiD) for the Mark Fryston energy storage project to proceed with construction immediately.
The project will secure a 1.2GW pipeline of Solar Battery Projects for SSE Renewables with a further 1.3GW under development.
It is also located next to a substation operated by UK Transmission System Operator (TSO) National Grid.
The project, according to Energy-Storage.news, is the largest BESS in the UK to enter the construction stage. Larger projects, like the 800MWH system from Innova and the 2080MWH project from Carlton Power, have secured planning permission and are free to start building but neither have begun construction.
The batteries used at Monk Fryston will be capable of storing power to be released back onto the grid when consumers need it the most. Storage projects, like these, will help manage peak energy demands.
SSE Renewables can minimise the built infrastructure impact on surrounding environments by directly connecting the batteries to the existing transmission network. Not only will surrounding environments be unaffected but BESS projects will decrease the carbon output of the electricity grid.
“This is another positive step towards reaching our net zero targets, enabling us to provide stored energy to the grid and provide balancing energy supply to support intermittent renewable energy generation, and, in doing so, strengthening the UK’s energy security.” – Richard Cave-Bigley, Director of Solar and Battery, SSE Renewables.
The SSE Renewables Solar and Battery portfolio currently comprises of 4 projects in the UK delivering 550MW of electricity. These include a:
- 50MW BESS site – Salisbury
- 150MW BESS site – Ferrybridge
- 30MW solar farm – Littleton
- 320MW BESS site – Mark Fryston
For more interviews from Solar&StorageXtra and to keep up to date with all NEW content, subscribe to the Solar&StorageXtra YouTube channel and Newsletter!
Our next event is Solar and Storage Live London, April 29-30 2024!
To enquire about interviews, submit news and press releases please contact our Editor, Regan Slaymaker, regan.slaymaker@terrapinn.com.
For sponsorship and exhibition enquires please contact Tom Moon, tom.moon@terrapinn.com.
