Statkraft’s largest battery scheme hits crucial construction milestone

Statkraft, Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy, has reached a crucial milestone in the construction of its Thornton Greener Grid Park with the arrival of the first of 620 battery units to be installed on site. 

The 200MW two-hour Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project, located to the east of Thornton, in East Yorkshire, represents an investment of £150 million in the UK’s renewable infrastructure, and is the largest battery scheme in Statkraft’s international portfolio. 

Thornton Greener Grid Park, which is expected to be operational in Autumn 2025, is part of a wider scheme which includes Soay Solar Farm. Soay will generate enough clean energy to power the equivalent of 18,000 homes, with construction of the solar phase of the development expected to begin in Spring 2025.

Even when there is enough renewable energy to meet the demands of homes and businesses, NESO, the National Energy System Operator for Great Britain sometimes needs to pause wind and solar farms, and turn fossil fuel power stations back on, just to provide stability to the electricity network. This new Greener Grid Park will utilise battery storage to provide that stability in a clean, green way, helping to make fossil fuels a thing of the past. 

Once operational, Thornton Greener Grid Park will enable energy from renewable sources to be stored during times of low demand and dispatched at times of peak electricity demand. Currently, the BESS projects developed by Statkraft are intended for short-term storage and typically have a duration of two hours. These are essential for temporary storage for later in the day, or for quickly delivering large amounts of power to the grid to maintain stability of the network. 

This scheme is just one part of Statkraft's broader strategy to enhance the UK's energy infrastructure, with an investment pipeline exceeding £4 billion, and almost 20 projects with planning consent across a range of technologies. Construction already underway on further Greener Grid Parks - two BESS schemes at Coylton and Neilston in Scotland, and a synchronous compensator scheme shortly at Swansea in Wales. 

These initiatives underline Statkraft's leading role in supporting Great Britain’s grid evolution, towards incorporating higher shares of renewable energy. Statkraft’s other activities in the UK cover activities including wind, solar, hydro, green hydrogen, and as the UK’s leading renewables trader. Diversity in terms of renewable technologies means that Statkraft is contributing to grid stability and ensuring a resilient, versatile energy system capable of meeting the demands of the future.

Kevin O’Donovan, Statkraft’s UK Managing Director, said: “We are committed to accelerating the transition to green energy in the UK and a critical part of this journey is increasing the stability of the grid. We’re marking a significant construction at our Thornton Battery Energy Storage System, which is now a step closer towards supporting the increased deployment of renewable energy into the grid. 

“We’re on an exciting journey, with almost 20 projects waiting to be built across a range of technologies, as we continue to invest significantly in the UK’s renewable energy infrastructure, which will help bring down electricity bills for consumers and businesses and reduce carbon emissions for everyone.”