Zenobe Energy is to develop a 100MW grid battery in the UK, which will be the largest in Europe when built.
The energy storage plant, to be located in Capenhurst in north-west England, will be the first in the world to absorb reactive power directly from a transmission network, Zenobe said.
The battery is due to be operational in April 2022 and will power Mersey and the surrounding areas with a reliable reactive power service as well as operate active power services concurrently.
The Capenhurst project was commissioned as a direct response to the National Grid’s pathfinder programme, seeking to solve the challenge of reactive energy management through the use of innovative technology.
The project is also the first of its kind to be approved under the new revised planning regime, which allows batteries larger than 50MW to be granted planning permission locally rather than by the national approval body.
Zenobe Energy co-founder James Basden said: “This is an incredibly exciting day for not just Zenobe, but the UK.
“The Capenhurst project is a great example of the pioneering solutions businesses like ours can bring to the table when industry innovation is encouraged by up-to-date legislation.
“As we move to a cleaner energy system, batteries like this one will play a vital role in stabilising the grid and ultimately enabling a greener, more sustainable, Britain.
“We will look to replicate this solution nationwide, working with government and industry to stabilise the UK energy system, push energy prices down and ensure an emission-free future.”
The project is the first deployment of the £150m investment in Zenobe from Infracapital, the infrastructure equity investment arm of M&G Plc, which was announced last year as part of Zenobe’s aim to accelerate the UK’s transition to a green energy system.
The battery will double Zenobe’s stationary battery capacity, maintaining the course to have 1000MW capacity by 2026, the company said.