Gresham House Energy Storage Fund’s 50MW battery has begun providing grid balancing services.
Edinburgh-based Flexitricity is optimising the 50MW/75 megawatt-hour battery at Thurcroft in South Yorkshire.
The asset went live in the Balancing Mechanism (BM) Reserve from Storage trial and was then live in the BM immediately afterwards.
Transmission system operator National Grid ESO uses the BM to balance supply and demand on the electricity system in real time.
Through the BM, providers can offer to increase or decrease generation or demand to help balance the system.
Flexitricity monitors the BM from its control room and remotely alters the charge and discharge profile of the Thurcroft battery.
The battery will also trade output in the wholesale markets and tender for frequency response services to help meet the nation’s energy needs and optimise revenue for the site.
Flexitricity took the asset into National Grid ESO’s new Dynamic Containment frequency response service on day one and has been securing daily contracts at high value ever since, Gresham House Energy Storage Fund said.
Flexitricity director Andy Lowe said: “Investors are getting comfortable with the business case for energy storage and it’s great this year to be seeing a number of large batteries coming onto the system, providing more of the rapid response flexibility National Grid ESO needs to maintain system stability.
“In today’s markets, maximising value for battery assets requires a huge amount of expertise and agility. We have a proven track record here, and we’re delighted that Gresham House has entrusted us to optimize a number of their sites, including the flagship Thurcroft battery.
“I’m glad to say we’re off to a great start and have been able to optimise revenue for the battery across a range of markets, including securing high prices in the first ever tender round of the newly launched Dynamic Containment service.”
Gresham House managing director Ben Guest added: “We have plans to grow our energy storage portfolio, aiming for over 350MW in operational assets by the end of 2020.
“We divide our storage projects between a range of optimisation partners and decided to entrust Flexitricity with Thurcroft having worked with them successfully on a previous project.”