EDF Renewables is gearing up to bring more than 300MW of battery storage capacity online across the South of England over the next 12 months in a bid to support decarbonisation of the power grid, the French-owned energy developer announced this morning.
The company already boasts an operational battery storage capacity of 150MW across Oxfordshire, Kent and the West Midlands, but with the connection of another six projects in south and southwest England over the next year, this is expected to grow to over 450MW in total.
The six projects currently under construction comprise 313MW of battery storage capacity, which EDF Renewables said could together provide sufficient power to meet the needs of over 400,000 average households for up to two hours.
These include a 57MW battery in Braintree, Essex, and a 47.5MW project in Saint Austell in Cornwall, as well as a 47.5MW battery near Mannington in Dorset which just last week secured planning permission from the county council, the company said.
They come in addition to the 52MW battery storage facility in Sundon, Bedfordshire, which came online in mid-July, it added.
In total, EDF Renewables UK plans to deliver up to 2GW of transmission-connected battery storage, with more than 400MW having secured planning consent, in addition to the 313MW already in construction that have been announced today.
Simone Sullivan, head of solar at EDF Renewables UK, said battery storage provided a critical foundation for reliable supplies o clean power by storing excess renewable energy during peak production periods, and releasing it back to the grid when needed.
It is predicted the UK will need between 20W-30GW of battery storage by 2030 in order to meet net zero targets for 2050.
“Our upcoming project pipeline will strengthen the UK’s capacity to integrate more renewables and will allow the grid to be more flexible and resilient by managing electricity supply and demand,” she explained.
“Battery storage is critical to enhancing our energy security and to achieving the new government’s 2030 targets. We have a strong momentum behind our projects, helping the UK to reap the benefits of cost-effective, clean renewable energy and a modern, flexible grid.”Â
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