In the UK, Harmony Energy Income Trust Plc has inaugurated the most extensive battery energy storage system in Europe, worth £75 million.

The battery energy storage system is located in Pillswood, East Yorkshire, close to Cottingham, and is the most extensive energy storage system by megawatt-hour (MWh).

Using Tesla Megapack technology, the £75 million facility will provide a crucial storage solution for the UK’s transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

Peter Kavanagh, the chief executive officer of Harmony Energy Limited, stated, “We are thrilled that our Pillswood Project, Europe’s most extensive battery energy storage system, has been inaugurated.”

“This is the first of six projects that Harmony Energy Income Trust intends to implement in the coming year. It is also a significant accomplishment for Harmony, as this is the third and largest battery energy storage project we’ve developed and delivered.”

How does the energy storage system employ batteries?

The battery energy storage system of Harmony Energy Income Trust enables the national grid to maximise the effectiveness of renewable energy sources, such as wind farms.

Renewables such as solar and wind do not produce energy continuously; when it is not sunny or windy, no energy is produced. Therefore, effective energy storage systems are necessary to distribute renewable energy when needed.

The company’s energy storage facility increases wind farms’ efficiency by decreasing the time it must be shut down (curtailed) due to supply and demand imbalances or network constraints. The system will provide vital balancing services to the UK’s electricity grid and accelerate the transition from fossil fuels.

How much-stored energy is possible?

The Pillswood project is adjacent to the National Grid’s Creyke Beck substation, also the proposed connection point for phases A and B of Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore wind farm, which will go live this summer.

In a single cycle, the battery energy storage could store up to 196 MWh of electricity, sufficient to power approximately 300,000 homes in Yorkshire for two hours.

Kavanagh added, “Battery energy storage systems are crucial to unlocking the potential of renewable energy in the UK.”

The company intends to develop battery energy storage systems in the UK, with nine projects with a total capacity of 500MW/1GWh.

Paul Mason, Managing Director of Harmony Energy Advisors, and Max Slade, Commercial Director and General Counsel of Harmony Energy Advisors, provide additional information regarding the projects listed below.