Wärtsilä is developing a similar project with EDF which is set to begin construction in Spring 2023. Image: Wärtsilä.
Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a repeat order with EDF Renewables UK to deliver a 57MW/114MWh grid-scale energy storage system (ESS) in Bramford.
The order, which was booked in the first quarter of 2023 and is scheduled to be delivered in the first quarter of 2024, will be Wärtsilä’s sixth project with EDF and will also boost the company’s energy storage portfolio in the UK to 1GWh.
The storage facility will be connected to the transmission network and will help integrate renewable generation into the grid further supporting efforts to create a decarbonised power system by 2035.
Wärtsilä’s Bramford project will provide balance to the electricity system and also help electrify public transportation in the area. The project will be constructed near a planned solar farm, also being developed by EDF Renewables UK, which is currently awaiting a planning decision from Mid-Suffolk District Council.
“Whilst greater integration of renewables into the UK’s electricity grid is critical to supporting the transition to net zero, smart power infrastructure is needed to manage its intermittency and improve the resilience of the UK’s electricity system,” said Gabriele Buccini, senior business development manager, energy storage and optimisation at Wärtsilä.
“That is exactly what the Bramford project is helping to do, and deliver cleaner, more reliable power to the country. Wärtsilä and EDF Renewables UK have a fantastic long-term partnership and we’re pleased to continue building on our relationship with this sixth project.”
For the project, Wärtsilä will provide its GridSolv Quantum system and GEMS Digital Energy Management Platform. GEMS will operate as the main controller for the ESS installation.
GEMS will provide data and insights to instruct trading parties and performance for comprehensive asset management. It will also enable balancing services for the UK grid including electric market trading and frequency response.
“A massive energy transition is underway, and renewables are at the heart of this turning point for the energy industry. Our aim is to help create an energy system that is clean, affordable, and secure by providing valuable flexibility to support the integration of a greater amount of renewable energy,” said Matthew Boulton, director of storage and private wire at EDF Renewables UK.
“Our Bramford battery storage facility is an important part of this, and we are excited to start construction next month, where we will be making the most of Wärtsilä’s expertise in delivering smart and flexible energy storage technology.”