Ørsted breaks ground on innovative UK battery energy storage system
Ørsted, a global leader in offshore wind energy, has marked breaking ground for its first large-scale UK battery energy storage system (BESS) with a golden shovel ceremony.
Located alongside Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm, near Norwich, Norfolk, the system will have a capacity of 600 MWh (and a 300 MW power rating), equivalent to the daily power consumption of 80,000 UK homes.
The golden shovel ceremony officially kicks off the construction phase of the project, known as Iceni after the Norfolk-based warrior tribe of the Roman era. It is expected to be operational by the end of 2026.
Preparatory works are now complete and the Ørsted, Knights Brown and Tesla Iceni team will continue with the remainder of the installation.
When completed, the battery energy storage system will be one of the largest in Europe.
Beatrice d’Eufemia, Project Manager said:
“This is a very exciting project to be a part of, not only for Ørsted as it is our first large-scale battery installation in the UK, but also for the UK energy industry as this project involves two generators using one shared grid connection.
“Success here, opens up the possibilities for increased use of existing grid infrastructure in the UK, which is critical when there is a real issue of congestion in the network.”
The battery energy storage system will also help make best use of the energy produced as when electricity generation exceeds demand, the battery will store the excess so that it can be discharged later to help balance the grid.
ends
For more information, images or to arrange an interview please contact:
Sarah Brown
External Communications Lead, Hornsea 3 at Ørsted
SARBR@orsted.com
+44 7443 154180
Notes to Editors:
About Ørsted
The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs and operates offshore and onshore wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, and bioenergy plants, and provides energy products to its customers. Globally, Ørsted is the market leader in offshore wind and it is constructing the world’s biggest offshore wind farms off the UK’s East Coast. Ørsted is recognised on the CDP Climate Change A-List as a global leader on climate action and was the first energy company in the world to have its science-based net-zero emissions target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted employs approx. 8,000 people, including over 1,100 in the UK. Visit orsted.co.uk or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.