UK’s largest battery energy storage system goes live
6th November 2020 | Commercial Energy
Gresham House Energy Storage Fund and demand response firm Flexitricity have announced that the UK’s largest battery is now live. The 75MWh energy storage system, located in Thurcroft, South Yorkshire, is being optimised by Flexitricity for revenue generation while helping National Grid ESO to balance supply and demand. The asset is now live in the Balancing Mechanism, a key tool National Grid ESO uses to balance supply and demand on the electricity system in real time.
Through the mechanism, providers can offer to increase or decrease their generation or demand to help balance the system. Flexitricity monitors the mechanism round the clock from its control room and remotely alters the charge and discharge profile the Thurcroft battery. The project will also trade the battery in the wholesale markets and tender for frequency response services to help meet the nation’s energy needs and optimise revenue for the site.
Battery energy storage
Flexitricity took the asset into National Grid ESO’s new Dynamic Containment frequency response service on day one and since then it says it has been securing daily contracts at high value. The UK now boasts around1 GW installed battery storage capacity and the market needs further growth to facilitate a net zero energy system.
Andy Lowe, director at Flexitricity, said, “Flexitricity is a hugely important part of decarbonising the grid and batteries are an excellent source of flexibility. Investors are getting comfortable with the business case for energy storage and it’s great this year to be seeing a number of large batteries coming onto the system, providing more of the rapid response flexibility National Grid ESO needs to maintain system stability. I’m glad to say we’re off to a great start and have been able to optimise revenue for the battery across a range of markets, including securing high prices in the first ever tender round of the newly launched Dynamic Containment service.”
More information available on the website below