SSE Renewables has announced its final investment decision to move forward with its second battery energy storage system (BESS) and has entered into contracts to deliver it. The 150MW project will be located at the iconic site of SSE's former Ferrybridge coal-fired power station in West Yorkshire, England.
This decision is part of SSE's ambitious £25bn Net Zero Acceleration Programme, which aims to deliver on its commitment to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. Construction is expected to commence later this month at the Ferrybridge site, and the project is expected to be fully operational by late 2024.
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The new battery storage project will provide flexible generation for Britain's national grid and a new era for the site. The site is an important milestone in the transition to net-zero while creating new green jobs.
The project is being developed in partnership with battery technology supplier Sungrow Power Supply and construction partner OCU Services Ltd. The grid connection is confirmed for June 2024, and the project is expected to be fully operational by late 2024.
This marks the second battery storage project for SSE Renewables, with a 50MW BESS site already under construction in Salisbury, Wiltshire, expected to be completed later this year. This announcement comes on the heels of last week's news that SSE's solar and battery team is joining forces with SSE Renewables to progress the development of its near 2GW pipeline of battery and solar projects in the UK and Ireland.
Richard Cave-Bigley, Director (Solar and Battery) at SSE Renewables, said: “Reaching Final Investment Decision for our Ferrybridge battery storage project is another exciting landmark for us. By building out more battery storage, we can get more renewable power onto the grid. That's because batteries store power in times of surplus generation and release it when it's needed the most – helping us bring flexibility and balance to the grid.”
The development of this project will also support SSE Renewables in its plans to expand into Europe to pursue new development opportunities. SSE Renewables has almost 2GW of battery and solar projects currently in development or under construction. These technologies are key to helping SSE deliver on its £25bn Net Zero Acceleration Programme to provide the green energy needed to decarbonise.
