National Grid has accepted eight bids and a combined 201MW from battery energy storage providers in its inaugural Enhanced Frequency Response service tender.
Winners included EDF Energy Renewables’ 49MW at its West Burton power station in Nottinghamshire, Vattenfall’s 22MW at Pen y Cymoedd wind farm in South Wales and Eon’s 10MW at its Blackburn Meadow CHP plant in Sheffield.
Other successful parties were RES with 35MW, Belectric with 10MW, Element Power with 25MW and Low Carbon with 50MW from two sites.
The eight sites due online between April 2017 and March 2018 were awarded a combined £66m.
The TSO said bids were received from 37 providers, 34 of which are from battery assets.
Some 64 bids totalling more than 1.2GW prequalified to enter the race for four-year contracts, including 888MW of battery storage.
National Grid said 61 bids were for battery assets, two from demand reduction and one from thermal generation.
UK System Operator director Cordi O’Hara said: “These awards show that we can work with industry to bring forward new technology and I believe storage has much to contribute to the flexible energy system of tomorrow.
“This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the industry.”
Renewable Energy Association policy lead James Court added: “National Grid deserve credit for kickstarting this market and the government must now follow through with its pledge to remove barriers to the industry.
“It is yet another example of new technologies that can provide alternatives to Hinkley for cost effective, low carbon electricity.”
The Enhanced Frequency Response tender has been developed to bring forward technologies that can provide a fast response solution to system volatility.
EFR requires 100% active power output within one second or less to deviations from the standard 50Hz frequency to prevent faults.
Previously the fastest frequency response was delivered in under 10 seconds.
Image: a RES battery storage system (RES)
