Rolls-Royce has begun construction on an engineering, procurement, and construction contract from prominent battery energy storage platform Voltaria Helios Energy Storage to supply a large-scale battery energy storage facility in Falkirk, Scotland. This is the first such storage project by Rolls-Royce in the UK, although more than 200 mtu battery storage systems re now in use worldwide. The new unit is intended to help stabilise the grid and support the UK’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.
The mtu EnergyPack, with a capacity of 86 MWh and an output of 43 MW will connect to the grid in 2026 and come online in 2027. Its primary task will be to store energy during high renewable energy production and feed it the grid during peak demand. It will also facilitate additional renewable generation by avoiding uneconomical turndown of wind generation. Rolls-Royce will maintain the system for 15 years.
With its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, the UK has set a target of providing 27 GW of battery storage capacity by 2030, primarily for grid-connected applications, to support carbon-free electricity supply.
Nigel Jefferson, CEO at Voltaria, said: “The Bankside project in Falkirk is the first of many battery energy storage sites Voltaria intends to deliver and operate. Rolls-Royce and the CATL battery solution are market leaders … so our expectations for the delivery and operation of this project are high.
Voltaria Helios Energy Storage is a joint venture of Helios Energy Investments, a group of private equity funds focused on energy transition investments, and Voltaria, which is owned by Renewables Infrastructure Capital.
