Zenobē, the UK’s leading owner and operator of grid-scale batteries on the GB transmission network, has announced that Europe’s largest battery site, located in Blackhillock, Scotland, has begun commercial operations today.
The Blackhillock site is launching in two phases. Phase 1 comprises of 200MW which is going live today and will be followed by a further 100MW in 2026, making a total of 300MW/600MWh. The total capacity of the site is the equivalent of powering >3.1 million homes, substantially more than all the households in Scotland, for two hours.
Deliberately located between Inverness and Aberdeen to address grid congestion from Viking (443MW), Moray East (950MW) and Beatrice (588MW) offshore wind farms, the project significantly reduces the amount of wasted clean energy and is an important milestone to achieving the UK government’s mission to have a net zero power grid by 2030.
Battery storage plays a critical role in the UK’s net zero transition with over 22GW required as a minimum in the Government’s Clean Power 2030 Plan. As Britain increases its reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, batteries like Blackhillock will ensure that excess power can be stored and then used during times of increased demand.
In addition to being Europe’s largest battery, the Blackhillock site will be the first in the world to provide Stability Services to the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to make renewable power more secure and reliable. The Stability Services include short-circuit level and inertia, both of which are essential for the grid to function efficiently and ease network constraints at times of peak energy usage as the UK looks to phase out fossil fuel plants.
Wärtsilä supplied its Quantum energy storage systems and GEMS Digital Energy Platform for the project, enabling Zenobē to remotely monitor, operate, and diagnose the equipment. Blackhillock is the largest transmission-connected battery in Europe. It is supported by SMA grid forming technology. SMA provided grid studies designed to deliver robust grid support and delivered 62 Medium voltage stations offering 333MWs of inertia and 84 MVA of short circuit level (SCL).
EDF Wholesale Market Services will be the Route to Market provider for the battery, through its market leading trading platform, Powershift. This platform combined with Zenobē’s battery optimisation experts will build more flexibility into the grid, essential to reducing wind curtailment and accelerating the decarbonisation of the network. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) delivered the grid connection required for the site to harness the renewable energy on its transmission network.
By integrating this cutting-edge technology, Blackhillock will enhance the reliability of the UK’s growing renewable power system and help reduce consumer bills nationwide. The site is expected to save consumers over £170 million over the next 15 years. It will also prevent approximately 2.6 million tonnes of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere during this period by integrating more wind power onto the transmission network.
Commenting, Zenobē Founder Director James Basden said, “Today marks a critical juncture in Britain’s clean power journey as Zenobē adds over 30% to the capacity of operational battery storage in Scotland. Battery storage has an essential role to play in our transition to renewable energy, so I’m proud that Zenobē and our partners are leading the way by launching Europe’s largest and most technically advanced battery.
“This project has additional importance, with the Blackhillock site being the first transmission connected battery in the world to deliver Stability Services alongside several other crucial services. As the UK steps up the pace on a transition to renewable power, these services are vital if we are to ensure the reliability and affordability of our grid moving forwards.”
Fintan Slye, CEO of the National Energy System Operator, said. “Our 2025 ambition to enable zero carbon operation of Great Britain’s national electricity network is central to NESO’s mission. The delivery by Zenobe of this grid forming battery is a major accomplishment and brings us a step closer to this goal.“
