Sembcorp announces plans to build Europe's largest battery

Sembcorp Energy UK (SEUK), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries (Sembcorp) will build Europe's largest battery energy storage system to help the country achieve its net-zero target. 

Sembcorp on Tuesday announced its plan to build a 360MW energy storage system at Wilton International on Teesside --Europe's largest battery. 

In a statement released by the company, it noted, following COP26 discussions, this development signals a major step by SEUK that will further support the UK's Net Zero targets, helping to ensure the resilience of the electricity network and further enable the increasing growth of renewables.  

"Now, more than ever, flexible energy sources play an increasingly important role in maintaining secure and reliable energy supplies,"  said Andy Koss, CEO of UK & Middle East, Sembcorp Industries.  

"With a growing reliance on renewables, the UK energy system needs to be flexible and able to respond quickly to changes. Sembcorp Energy UK is committed to accelerating the energy transition with sustainable solutions, such as batteries."

SEUK currently operates 70MW of batteries, with an additional 50MW already in the pipeline and due to be operational in early 2022.

The company has one of the UK's largest battery portfolios. The units can supply power and other services to the national grid in a matter of milliseconds, and such rapid response time is crucial to maintaining a secure and stable energy system that will aid the UK's low-carbon transition, SUEK noted.

The latest battery portfolio expansion announcement comes after the company announced the first-of-a-kind 300MW net-zero emissions plant in Whitetail Clean Energy earlier in July.

If all the developments proceed as planned, SEUK estimates, its total energy portfolio would be over 1.6GW with almost half a gigawatt being supplied by batteries.

"As we shift to a greener electricity grid on our path to net zero, flexible energy storage will be key to ensuring we get the full benefit from our world-class renewables," said Greg Hands, Minister of State for Business, Energy, and Clean Growth. "This project will help put Teesside at the heart of the energy transition, bringing green growth to the region, while helping us deliver on our ambitious climate change commitments."