Wärtsilä delivering 50 MW/100MWh energy storage system

Wärtsilä will deliver a 50 MW/100 MWh lithium-ion energy storage facility in the UK.

The facility for EDF Renewables UK and Ireland is part of a new Energy Superhub in the Sundon region and construction is expected to start in spring 2023.

The company said the facility will be able to store enough electricity to power about 100 000 homes for two hours and will support electric vehicle (EV) charging and the electrification of public transport. The project will enable increased renewable energy integration and intermittency management, in addition to strengthening the resiliency of the electricity system, automatically charging and discharging to balance supply and demand, according to Wärtsilä.

“A renewable energy future is only made possible with a smart, flexible energy grid,” said Matthew Boulton, Director of Storage and Private Wire at EDF Renewables. “That is why we are working with local councils to accelerate the rollout of Energy Superhubs, helping to unleash the potential of renewable energy and enable local people to reap the benefits of net zero through better access to zero carbon transport. We know the challenge ahead of us – we need more renewable energy and energy storage to back it up. Our battery storage facility in Sundon marks a key milestone for the UK as we lay the foundation for net zero.”

Wärtsilä will supply a 50 MW/100 MWh energy storage solution to Sundon, UK, which will help support the UK’s transition to a decarbonized electricity system. (Image: Wärtsilä)

Wärtsilä has provided its propriety GridSolv Quantum system and GEMS Digital Energy Platform, in addition to the power conversion system and commissioning for the project. GEMS provides the data and insights to instruct trading parties and performance for comprehensive asset management. The energy storage technology will enable balancing services for the UK grid, including electricity market trading and frequency response, with the capability to support local consumers such as EV charging stations during grid outages.

“Net zero power systems can unlock significant reductions in emissions and cost, and the UK is pioneering this transition with world-leading renewable energy targets,” said Jens Norrgård, Energy Business Director, Europe, at Wärtsilä Energy. “Wärtsilä’s energy storage technology is an important part of the mosaic of flexible capacity needed to balance renewable energy. Alongside our other projects, Sundon is delivering on our global ambition to create clean power systems.”

Wärtsilä’s installed energy storage technology base in the UK now exceeds 424 MWh. The prior projects with EDF Renewables (formerly Pivot Power) in Oxford and Kemsley in Kent were delivered in 2021, and two projects in Birmingham and Coventry are currently under construction. Wärtsilä has also delivered a number of other energy storage projects in the UK, including a 50 MW/100 MWh project first site for SSE in Salisbury, and an islanded-grid project to balance renewables in Lerwick, on the Shetland Islands.