Ethical Power is working with Varco Energy to deliver a nearly 50MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Cornwall.
Varco Energy’s Sambar Power BESS project, located near Newquay, Cornwall, is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2025 and have a capacity of 47.5 MW. Energy storage asset owner and operator Ethical Power will provide Balance of Plant (BoP) work to install BESS equipment at the site, which Varco Energy announced last week will be supplied by GE Vernova. Ethical Power will also provide the electrical, mechanical and civil infrastructure required to connect to the National Grid transmission network.
This is not the first time Ethical Power and Varco have worked together on UK BESS projects, having previously worked together on the Native River project near Liverpool and the Sizing John Project south of St Helens, each of which has a capacity of 57 MW .
Rachel Ruffle, Chief Operating Officer at Ethical Power, said: “Ethical Power is pleased to be working with Varco Energy to install and connect this grid-scale battery system. Projects like Sambar Power are vital to the stability of the electricity grid and the continued expansion of renewable energy in Britain. We look forward to delivering the project safely and according to schedule and ensuring the highest quality standards are maintained.”
James Mills, director of Varco Energy, added: “At Varco we want to invest in assets that will accelerate the integration of renewables, maintain a resilient network and increase consumer value in the UK. We are therefore delighted to be working with Ethical Power to deliver this 47.5 MW project in Great Britain, with the aim of bringing the asset online in the second quarter of 2025.”
RES applies for permission in Scotland
Meanwhile, on the other side of Britain, RES has submitted planning permission for the Corshellach energy storage proposal to Moray Council in Scotland.
If approved, the proposed 49.9 MW BESS project will be located on land adjacent to the Berryburn substation near Dunphail. RES noted that this places it near existing transmission infrastructure, minimizing the need for additional construction. The proposal is expected to go before Moray Council’s Planning Committee in the coming months; if approved, construction will take about a year.
Environmental issues are at the heart of this planning application, with RES expressing how the Corshellach Energy Storage System has been designed to fit sensitively into the landscape, following multiple studies and assessments around the environment, landscape, heritage and the wellbeing of the local residents.
Milo Amsbury-Savage, development project manager for RES, noted how the community consultation process influenced the final proposal, commenting: “We have taken time throughout the project’s development to listen to people’s feedback to improve the project; for example, using the same delivery route as the Berryburn wind farm construction to avoid the narrow Divie Viaduct. Everyone who took the time to provide feedback following our community consultation exhibitions was either supportive or neutral towards the project, with many approving the choice of location.”
Milo added: “It is clear that people are feeling better informed about the need for energy storage and the crucial role it plays in the wider decarbonisation of the energy industry to achieve our net zero targets and tackle climate change.
