FRV And Harmony Energy To Develop Second UK Utility Scale Battery Project

Fotowatio Renewable Ventures, part of Abdul Latif Jameel Energy and a leading global developer of renewable energy projects, has announced a second battery project in collaboration with UK developer Harmony Energy, as part of a strategic energy storage pipeline to be launched globally.

Construction of the 34 MW / 68 MWh Contego project is set to start this month near Burgess Hill in West Sussex, United Kingdom. Once completed in 2021, it will be one of the largest battery energy storage plants in the UK, with a system of 28 Tesla Megapack lithium-ion batteries, using Tesla's Autobidder AI software for real-time trading and control.

Contego will be connected to the UK Power Networks distribution network, providing the capability to store energy from renewable sources and afford peak-time flexibility to the UK National Grid as part of the country's continuing shift away from fossil fuels.

This is a new joint battery energy storage project between Harmony Energy, which builds, owns and operates renewable energy assets across the UK, and FRV, following the successful completion of a 7.5 MW / 15 MWh battery plant at Holes Bay, Dorset.

Holes Bay, which also used Tesla's Megapack batteries, has been operating since June 2020, participating in the EPEX spot market, in the Firm Frequency Response (FFR) and in the Balancing Mechanism. The site was the first to go live in the National Grid's new wider access application programming interface (API) for the Balancing Mechanism.

Peter Kavanagh, CEO of Harmony Energy, said: “The completion of Holes Bay and now closing the funding and construction contracts for Contego are exciting developments - particularly considering the added challenges of developing these projects during the current pandemic.

There is real momentum in the development of subsidy-free, utility scale battery storage in the UK as we continue the shift towards a greener economy. The value of battery storage in providing flexibility to the grid continues to increase as the UK's penetration of renewable energy grows.”

“With support from FRV and Tesla, Harmony Energy is at the forefront of this shift. We have more than 500MW of battery energy storage plants construction-ready in the UK, and we are excited to be able to start work on this next scheme alongside FRV.”

Mikel de Irala, Managing Director of MEA and UK for FRV, added: “Contego continues FRV's projection in the storage systems sector and it will become one of the most advanced and innovative storage systems in the UK. We are pleased to keep working together with Harmony Energy to further develop our activities and demonstrate FRV's commitment and interest in the development of the UK's strategic sustainable energy program.”

Felipe Hernández, Managing Director FRV-X & Engineering, said: “This project, which is the second to be developed in less than a year in the UK, proves our commitment in the country and our continuous support towards its transition to a decarbonized energy system. In the near future, we aim to keep growing our energy storage pipeline, not only in the UK, but also in all those markets where we have a presence”.

Fady Jameel, Deputy President & Vice Chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel, reconfirmed the businesses commitment to sustainable energy, stating: “Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, through FRV, and Harmony Energy are jointly committed to playing a fundamental role in the UK's energy storage sector. With the launch of Contego, our second project together, we are determined to shape a sustainable and renewable energy model as part of the UK's ongoing transition from fossil fuels."