Iberdrola’s 50 MW Gorman Battery Energy Storage System has been made operational in County Meath, Ireland. It is the company’s first operational commercial-scale battery storage system anywhere in the world.

Providing system services to EirGrid for six years, it’s the largest of the DS3 Capped System Services projects to get up and running following auction in 2019. Its 50 MW capacity is achieved by utilising more than 4000 battery modules spread across 16 battery containers on site.

The 50MW Gorman BESS in County Meath will provide system services to EirGrid for six years – contributing to the security and sustainability of the electricity network in Ireland – following success in the DS3 Capped System Services Contract auction in 2019.

Helping balance supply and demand and ensuring additional green electricity is available when needed, the battery is made up of more than 4,000 battery modules spread across 16 battery containers on a site the size of a football pitch.

Iberdrola is also constructing a smaller 3MW BESS in Ireland. It is nearing completion at Barnesmore windfarm in County Donegal, with pre-construction activities also progressing on the consented repowering of Barnesmore windfarm, and the expansion of the Gorman BESS to double its capacity to 100 MW.

Planning is also underway to deliver three offshore wind projects (Clarus, Shelamere and Inis Ealga Marine Energy) with a total potential capacity of 3GW in partnership with DP Energy.

Charlie Jordan, Iberdrola CEO for UK and Ireland, said: “This is a major milestone not just for Iberdrola in Ireland, but for Iberdrola globally, with the powering up of our first-ever operational battery project of this size and scale. Ireland has set out major ambitions to halve emissions by the end of this decade and achieve net zero by no later than 2050, so investing in the infrastructure needed to help turn that vision into reality is vital if progress is to stay on track.”