Stockport battery energy storage facilities begins operations

Clean energy company, Masdar, has begun operations at a 20-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) facility in Stockport, which can store enough electricity to power 20,000 homes for over two hours.

The site on Welkin Road is the first project to be completed by the Abu Dhabi-based business as part of a £1 billion pipeline of projects planned for the UK, with battery storage facilities in Chesterfield and Cardiff now in development.

Following its acquisition of Arlington Energy in 2022, Masdar committed to investing £1 billion in a 3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) pipeline of BESS projects in the UK, part of the company’s wider commitment to the UK’s energy transformation. The UK government is aiming to build up to 27GW of battery storage by the end of this decade under its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.

Husain Al Meer, Masdar Director, Global Offshore Wind & UK, said:

“[December’s] announcements demonstrate that we are accelerating progress towards delivering on our £1 billion pipeline. BESS is critical to helping the UK to transform its energy systems, unlock more renewables deployment, and bring tangible benefits to consumers, businesses, and local communities. Masdar is proud to be at the forefront of this sector in the UK and beyond.”

BESS solutions balance and stabilize the intermittent energy supply from renewables, providing flexible energy to the grid by storing energy in periods of low demand and releasing it at peak times. Flexibility enhances grid stability and energy security, supports the integration of renewable energy, and contributes to lowering consumer bills and carbon emissions.

The Welkin Road plant is located on a previously developed brownfield site in Stockport. Local biodiversity was enhanced during construction, with bird and bat boxes being provided to protect wildlife, the control of Japanese knotweed and the planting of naturally occurring flora. A community fund is also being established to donate money to local causes.