Energy storage specialist Eku Energy has announced the successful commissioning of its Maldon battery energy storage system (BESS), the first UK project to become commercially operational.
The Maldon BESS project, located in Essex, just outside London, has a capacity of 40 MW/40 MWh. The project was built by Trina Storage, which will service and maintain the project throughout its operational life. In addition, the project has successfully secured a long-term capacity market contract traded by EDF.
“The Maldon battery energy storage system is Eku Energy’s first project to enter commercial operations in the UK, and we are delighted to be delivering critical energy storage capacity to the UK network,” said Daniel Burrows, CEO of Eku Energy. “Battery energy storage provides an important amplification capability to increase the capacity of the electricity grid for renewable energy. “Through our strong local presence in the UK and our global specialist expertise in energy storage, we are proud to help the UK deliver safe, secure and reliable green energy as we accelerate the energy transition.”
UK Power Networks (UKPN) played a crucial role in completing the project by connecting the battery to the local electricity grid. Project manager Zhen Wang said the distribution network operator (DNO) plays “a key role” in the country’s transition to Net Zero, “by ensuring there is sufficient electricity grid capacity for customers to connect low-carbon technologies such as electric vehicles or renewable generation.”
“Utility batteries are a cornerstone of this strategy and we were pleased to participate in the progress of Eku Energy’s Maldon BESS project.”
In February, Eku Energy announced that it had started construction of two BESS systems with a combined capacity of 130 MWh. The two projects, located in Basildon, Essex, and Loudwater, Buckinghamshire, are expected to be operational by the end of this year.
Other major players in the BESS market have recently celebrated the stimulation of new projects. Harmony Energy Income Trust (HEIT) announced today (September 12) that it has successfully powered two projects with a combined capacity of 82.9 MW/165.8 MWh, and as such HEIT’s entire 395.4 MW/ 790.8 MWh portfolio operational.
