Kilmarnock South Commissioning
Discover how Zenobē’s Portable Power team used commissioning experience and battery expertise to develop an alternative solution to traditional commissioning.
Zenobē’s 50MW battery in Wishaw, Scotland’s first transmission-connected battery
Zenobē’s 50MW battery in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, is the first to connect directly to the transmission system in Scotland
This ensures security of power supply as the country moves to nearly total renewable energy.
01.
The Challenge
National Grid, the Electricity System Operator (ESO) from Great Britain, is looking for ways to manage constraints on the transmission system caused by the rapid shift to renewable generation. This will in turn increase security of supply for the region around Glasgow and, by increasing the amount of time that wind farms can generate power, reduce costs for consumers.
02.
The Solution
Through understanding how the power flows in the region will change with the uptake of onshore and offshore wind, Zenobē decided to build a battery at Wishaw. We also decided to provide a Constraint Management Service to the Electricity System Operator – the first time that a battery has done this in the UK.
At 50MW / 100MWh, the Wishaw battery is one of the largest ever constructed in Scotland and is the first to connect directly onto the Transmission network. It will help secure the power for those living close to Glasgow as well as reduce the costs for running the Transmission system. As it is emission free, it will also have significant environmental benefits compared to traditional solutions.
“This project demonstrates real innovation. Scotland is leading the world in its move to renewable energy and Zenobē is proud to be providing the critical infrastructure needed for the country’s clean energy transition. Alongside our partners Fluence, Centrica, H&MV and Santander UK, we’re increasing flexibility of power supply for Glasgow and the wider network and so allowing a greater uptake of renewable energy.
“The battery at Wishaw is the first of a series of major battery flexibility projects by Zenobē and part of the c. £750 million we intend to invest in Scotland in the next five years.” said Co-Founder James Basden.
In numbers
72994
50MW
The largest battery in Scotland once commissioned
c.
MW
388,000
tonnes of CO2 saved from entering the atmosphere *
c.
640GWh
more renewable generation will be able to travel from north to south of the UK over the next 15 years
03.
Key Results
- First battery in the UK to act as a flexibility tool to manage constraints, as part of National Grid ESO’s Constraints Management pathfinder project
- First battery directly connected to the transmission system in Scotland
- The battery can store enough wind energy to power >500,000 homes for two hours, curbing the waste of homegrown renewable energy
- By reducing the need for curtailment fees, whereby wind generators are paid to switch off their turbines, the battery at Wishaw will pass on £41m in savings to consumers over 15 years
* This number was updated on 11/12/24, in-line with our most up-to-date reporting methodology. Learn more here.
Related case studies
Blackhillock: Europe’s Largest Grid-Scale Battery
The Blackhillock battery in Scotland is Europe’s largest grid-scale battery, delivering world-first Stability Services to maximise renewable energy use, prevent 2.6 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions, and reduce consumer bills by £170 million.
Claredown Fast Reserve Power
Zenobē’s 20MW site at Claredown was part of the portfolio providing Fast Reserve to National Grid…
