Source - reNews - EDF to bring 300MW of battery storage online
EDF Renewables UK is set to bring over 300MW of battery storage online, marking a key milestone in the effort to decarbonize the UK’s electricity grid and accelerate the energy transition.
The company currently has six battery storage projects under construction, all scheduled to become operational within the next 12 months. Among these are a 57MW facility in Braintree, Essex, and a 47.5MW installation in Indian Queens, Saint Austell.
In addition to these projects, EDF Renewables UK recently brought a 52MW battery online in Sundon, Bedfordshire, in mid-July. Just last week, Dorset Council also approved plans for a 47.5MW battery near Mannington, Dorset. Altogether, these projects represent a combined 313MW of battery storage, enough to power over 400,000 homes for two hours.
The UK government has set an ambitious target of achieving a zero-carbon electricity system by 2030. This goal includes significant expansions in renewable energy capacity: tripling solar power to 50GW, quadrupling offshore wind to 55GW, and doubling onshore wind to 35GW by the end of the decade.
Battery storage is crucial for ensuring a stable and reliable supply of clean energy by storing surplus power during periods of high production and releasing it when demand is greater. It is estimated that between 20GW and 30GW of battery storage will be necessary by 2030 to stay on track with the 2050 net-zero targets outlined by ESO2.
Simone Sullivan, Head of Solar at EDF Renewables UK, emphasized the importance of these developments, stating, "Our upcoming project pipeline will enhance the UK’s ability to integrate more renewables and make the grid more flexible and resilient by better managing electricity supply and demand."
She added, "Battery storage is essential for boosting our energy security and meeting the government's 2030 goals. We are making significant progress with our projects, helping the UK to harness cost-effective, clean renewable energy and support a modern, adaptable grid."
These new projects will add to EDF Renewables UK's existing portfolio of over 150MW of operational battery energy storage systems in Oxfordshire, Kent, and the West Midlands. Overall, the company aims to deliver up to 2GW of transmission-connected battery storage, with over 400MW already approved and an additional 313MW under development.
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