The 200-megawatt (MW) / 400-megawatt hour (MWh) energy storage system provided by Wärtsilä to owner and operator Zenobē in Blackhillock, Scotland, has now gone live. The Blackhillock project is the largest battery energy storage site currently in operation in Europe and is the first project delivered under the Network Options Assessment (NOA) Stability Pathfinder programme. The programme is an initiative promoted by the National Grid Electricity System Operator (NESO) in Scotland to improve the long-term stability of the electricity system. Owned and operated by Zenobē, a grid-scale battery storage specialist, the system will assist grid operators in the management of challenges related to balancing supply and demand, power stability, and constraints.
The Blackhillock site will be the first in the world to provide stability services to the NESO, making renewable power more reliable and secure. The stability services include short-circuit level and true synthetic inertia, which are essential for the grid to function efficiently as the UK moves towards phasing out fossil fuel power plants. The system will enhance the reliability of the UK’s growing renewable power system and help reduce consumer bills nationwide. According to Zenobē, the site is expected to save consumers over £170 million over the next 15 years.
“Our batteries at Blackhillock are the first to use advanced power electronics to enable a much higher uptake of renewable power on the grid. This dramatically reduces costs to consumers and increases reliability. Zenobē is the first to deliver this capability at scale and we are helping the UK to become more competitive through increasing the availability of clean, affordable power," says James Basden, Founder and Director, Zenobē.
The Blackhillock site is ideally suited to integrate wind power from three major nearby offshore wind farms in the North Sea, thereby helping address grid congestion. The system balances supply and demand to ensure the country’s abundant wind generation is not wasted, supporting the UK government's mission to have a net zero power grid by 2030. Based on Zenobē’s calculations, the project will prevent approximately 2.6 million tonnes of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere over the next 15 years as it will be integrating more wind power into the transmission network.
Alongside Wärtsilä's Quantum battery energy storage system, the Blackhillock site is using the sophisticated GEMS Digital Energy Platform, allowing Zenobē to remotely monitor and operate the equipment. GEMS eases network constraints by importing electricity at times of peak renewable generation. Its data-based intelligence will enable Zenobē to participate in the most valuable UK electricity markets.
"As Britain increases its reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, systems like Blackhillock will ensure that excess power can be stored and then used during times of increased demand. Blackhillock sets a new standard and plays a pivotal role in balancing the grid and supporting the UK's path to 100% renewables," says Andrew Tang, Vice President of Wärtsilä Energy Storage & Optimisation.
Wärtsilä is supplying a second project to Zenobē, Kilmarnock South, also delivered under the Stability Pathfinder programme. Kilmarnock South is a 300 MW / 600 MWh storage system built with Wärtsilä's Quantum High Energy storage system and is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.
Media contact for more information on this release:
Katri Pehkonen
Communications Manager
Wärtsilä Energy
Mob: +358 50 591 6180
katri.pehkonen@wartsila.com
Image caption: Blackhillock energy storage site in Scotland, UK © Zenobē Energy Ltd.
All Wärtsilä releases are available at www.wartsila.com/media/news-releases and at www.news.cision.com/wartsila-corporation where also the images can be downloaded. Use of the image(s) is allowed only in connection with the contents of this press release. Wärtsilä images are available at www.wartsila.com/media/image-bank.
Wärtsilä Energy in brief
Wärtsilä Energy is at the forefront of the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our customers and the power sector to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system expertise. Our solutions include flexible engine power plants, energy storage and optimisation technology, and services for the whole lifecycle of our installations. Our engines are future-proof and can run on sustainable fuels. Our track record comprises 79 GW of power plant capacity and over 130 energy storage systems in 180 countries around the world. Over 30% of our operating installed base is under service agreements.
www.wartsila.com/energy
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasise innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 18,300 professionals in more than 230 locations in 77 countries shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2024, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 6.4 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com