Europe’s biggest battery energy storage system, the Pillswood Project, a 98 MW battery energy storage facility, has begun operating near Hull. The project was developed by Harmony Energy Limited and is the biggest battery energy storage system in Europe, according to Interesting Engineering. The battery is also managed by a Tesla 2-hour Megapack system.
With this, the battery can store up to 196 MWh of electricity in one cycle, allowing it to power around 300,000 homes for two hours. In a statement, Peter Kavanagh, the director of Harmony Energy, said that they hoped the battery energy storage system would highlight Yorkshire as a leader in green energy solutions. He also said that the energy battery storage system is an achievement for their company and is the third and biggest project that they have developed through construction.
It is also noted that Harmony Energy Limited preempted the launch by four months due to the possible energy crisis that the UK will face in the winter. In addition, the war between Russia and Ukraine could potentially lead to a gas supply emergency in the UK; hence, this could lead to power cuts that rely on gas in the country.
Harmony Energy will build five more energy storage systems before October 2023. Three of its projects will speed up its overall portfolio, leading to a total capacity of 500 MW (1 GWh). The Pillswood project is also adjacent to the National Grid’s Creyke Beck substation, which is planned to connect Phases A and B of Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
Peter Kavanagh, director of Harmony Energy, said: “Battery energy storage systems are essential to unlocking the full potential of renewable energy in the UK, and we hope this particular one highlights Yorkshire as a leader in green energy solutions.”
“These projects are not supported by taxpayer subsidies and will play a major role in contributing to the Net Zero transition, as well as ensuring the future security of the UK’s energy supply and reducing reliance on foreign gas imports.” The system, which will use Tesla’s AI software to match energy supply to demand, had been due to be switched on in two stages, in December 2022 and March 2023.
