Construction began in January 2024, and the site became operational in under two years from financial close. 

Located near several offshore wind farms, the Kilmarnock South battery site provides Stability Services to support a more efficient and resilient grid. The site can respond instantly to grid events, delivering inertia traditionally provided by fossil fuel generators. This is enabled by grid-forming inverter technology, allowing the battery to act as a stabilising force within the UK energy system. 

Kilmarnock South is one of a small number of BESS sites in the UK deploying grid-forming inverters to deliver these capabilities. 

Reliable grid stability is essential for decarbonisation. Unlike fossil fuel plants, renewable generation does not consistently provide key services such as inertia, reactive power, and short circuit level. These services are critical for maintaining system frequency, voltage, and fault response. As renewable penetration increases, alternative sources of stability are required to ensure a secure, reliable, and cost-effective electricity system. 

To reduce on-site emissions, the 600MWh system was commissioned without a grid connection. Instead, Zenobē’s Portable Power team used a Mobile BESS to manage energisation and control inrush currents. This reduced generator size requirements by up to 30 times. The Mobile BESS used second-life EV batteries, demonstrating a closed-loop approach across Zenobē’s Network Infrastructure, EV Fleet, and Portable Power businesses.