Europe’s largest battery site, located in Scotland, has commenced operations marking a notable step towards decarbonising the UK energy grid. Owned and operated by Zenobē, the Blackhillock site in Moray, Scotland added 200MW/400MWh of capacity in its Phase 1 launch last Monday (3rd March), with a further 100MW/200MWh set to be added in 2026. This means that the site accounts for more than 30% of Scotland’s installed battery storage, and its capacity is the equivalent of powering more than 3.1 million homes for one hour.
Zenobē Founder Director James Basden said: “Today marks a critical juncture in Britain’s clean power journey as Zenobē adds over 30% to the capacity of operational battery storage in Scotland. Battery storage has an essential role to play in our transition to renewable energy, so I’m proud that Zenobē and our partners are leading the way by launching Europe’s largest and most technically advanced battery”[i].
The Blackhillock site will be the first in the world to provide Stability Services to the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to make renewable power more secure and reliable. It is a notable milestone within the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 Plan, which calls for at least 22GW (22,000MW) of battery storage by the end of the decade to help facilitate a zero-carbon grid.
Fintan Slye, CEO of the National Energy System Operator, said: “Our 2025 ambition to enable zero carbon operation of Great Britain’s national electricity network is central to NESO’s mission. The delivery by Zenobe of this grid forming battery is a major accomplishment and brings us a step closer to this goal. Battery storage is critical to the future reliability and affordability of the UK grid and pairing it with this grid forming technology can unlock even greater resilience for a net-zero network.”[ii]
Blackhillock has been designed to ease grid congestion caused by offshore wind farms having been strategically placed between Inverness and Aberdeen to address grid congestion from the Viking (443 MW), Moray East (950 MW) and Beatrice (588 MW) offshore wind farms.
Wärtsilä is supplying the site with its Quantum energy storage system technology and GEMS Digital Energy Platform with SMA grid forming inverters enabling a resilient power system with high power quality. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) delivered the grid connection required for the site to harness the renewable energy on its transmission network.
In addition, EDF Wholesale Market Services will be the Route to Market provider for the site, through its trading platform, Powershift. Blackhillock will enhance the reliability of the UK’s growing renewable power system and help reduce consumer bills nationwide. The site is expected to save consumers over £170 million over the next 15 years. It will also prevent approximately 2.6 million tonnes of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere during this period by integrating more wind power onto the transmission network[iii].
Christopher Dalley, Wholesale Market Services Director at EDF, said: “We are delighted to be the optimiser for this landmark project, combining our cutting-edge Powershift platform with Zenobē’s pioneering battery storage technology. Together, we’re reducing wind curtailment, optimising renewable energy usage, and delivering greater resilience to the UK’s energy grid.”[iv]
[i] Europe’s Largest Battery Goes Live in Blackhillock, Scotland
[ii] Ibid
[iii] Ibid
[iv] Zenobē Launches Europe’s Largest Battery with EDF Wholesale Market Services as Optimiser
Lauren has extensive experience as an analyst and market researcher in the digital technology and travel sectors. She has a background in researching and forecasting emerging technologies, with a particular passion for the Videogames and eSports industries. She joined the Critical Information Group as Head of Reports and Market Research at GRC World Forums, and leads the content and data research team at the Zero Carbon Academy. “What drew me to the academy is the opportunity to add content and commentary around sustainability across a wealth of industries and sectors.”
.jpg)
