Orsted has begun the construction of its first large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) in the UK. Once completed, it will be one of the largest in Europe. o1w39

According to the company, this system will be located next to Orsted’s Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm, near Norwich, Norfolk, and will have a capacity of 600 MWh and a nominal power of 300 MW, equivalent to the daily energy consumption of 80,000 households in the UK.

The Iceni project is expected to be operational by the end of 2026.

Preparatory works are already complete, and the Orsted Iceni team, along with Knights Brown and Tesla, will continue with the rest of the installation.

Beatrice d'Eufemia, project director, stated, "This is a very exciting project to be part of, not only for Orsted as it is our first large-scale battery installation in the UK, but also for the country's energy industry, as it involves two generators using a shared grid connection. Success in this project opens up opportunities for greater use of the existing grid infrastructure in the UK, which is crucial when there is a real congestion problem on the grid."

The battery energy storage system will also help maximize the use of produced energy, as when electricity generation exceeds demand, the battery will store the surplus for later discharge, helping to balance the grid.