35MW/70MWh facility can respond to changes in electricity demand within milliseconds and support grid stability

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar has started commercial operations at its second battery energy storage system (BESS) project in the UK, strengthening its investment in the country’s energy security.

The 35-megawatt (MW)/70-megawatt-hours (MWh) facility in Rochdale can provide enough clean power for around 35,000 homes per day, based on two charging and discharging cycles daily.

The project can respond to changes in electricity supply and demand within milliseconds, providing balancing services to the grid operator and helping maintain a stable and reliable electricity network.

Masdar has committed to investing £1 billion in developing a 3-gigawatt-hour (GWh) pipeline of battery storage projects across the UK. The investment follows the company’s acquisition of Arlington Energy in 2022 and is aimed at supporting the integration of renewable energy into the UK electricity system.

The investment aligns with the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which targets up to 27GW of battery storage capacity by the end of the decade.

Husain Al Meer, Executive Director, Global Offshore Wind & UK, Masdar, said the Rochdale project marked an important milestone in the company’s £1 billion commitment to UK battery storage.

The Rochdale facility follows Masdar’s 20MW/40MWh Welkin Road project in Stockport, which began commercial operations last December. The company is also developing projects in Chesterfield and Cardiff, with a combined capacity of 150MW/300MWh.

Financing for the four projects was completed last month, with Masdar securing up to £97 million from SMBC and ING.

Battery storage systems store electricity when demand is low and release it during peak periods, helping balance the grid and support greater use of renewable energy.

Masdar said its UK projects include advanced fire detection and suppression systems, 24-hour CCTV monitoring and local response capabilities.