Sungrow Power Supply Co Ltd has entered into a 4.4-GWh partnership agreement with Fidra Energy, aiming to support Fidra's ambitious goal of creating a 10-GW battery energy storage platform by 2030 across the UK and other European markets.
Fidra Energy, an Edinburgh-based battery developer backed by institutional investor EIG, formed the platform following the sale of its West Burton Energy business to TotalEnergies. Under the agreement, Sungrow will provide its liquid-cooled energy storage system, PowerTitan 2.0, for two key sites in the UK. These include the 1.45-GW Thorpe Marsh project in South Yorkshire, one of the largest battery storage facilities globally, and the 500-MW West Burton C project in Nottinghamshire. The Thorpe Marsh project is expected to begin construction in 2025, while the West Burton C project is slated to break ground in 2026.
Sungrow's PowerTitan 2.0 systems will initially offer a two-hour duration, with the potential for expansion to four hours. The company will also provide long-term maintenance support for both projects.
Fidra's CEO, Chris Elder, said, “Battery storage is a proven, cost-effective and flexible technology that will be critical for Europe's energy transition. Our strategy is focused on building and operating big batteries in major markets.”
Sungrow's Senior Vice President, James Wu, added, “The PowerTitan 2.0 is designed specifically for grid-forming, significantly enhancing the resilience and stability of the UK's power grid while enabling efficient and long-term participation in the ancillary service market.”
In a separate move, Sungrow recently announced an investment of about USD 4.23 million (EUR 4 million) to conduct what it calls the “world's largest and longest” burn test on 20 MWh of its PowerTitan 2.0 liquid-cooled battery systems. The test, which simulated a real-world power plant fire scenario, exceeded expectations under the supervision of DNV experts and more than 100 clients.
