- Facilities in Stockport, Cardiff, and Chesterfield
- Investment of $1 billion in a 3GWh project pipeline
- The UK aims for 27GW of battery storage by 2030
Masdar, a renewable energy firm based in Abu Dhabi, has commenced commercial operations at its battery energy storage facility located in Stockport. This marks the firm’s first initiative within its £1 billion ($1.33 billion) investment plan in the United Kingdom.
Additionally, the company is working on two further projects in Cardiff and Chesterfield, as reported by the UAE’s state-run Wam news outlet.
Battery storage systems are essential for regulating the fluctuating power supply from renewable sources. They store energy during low-demand times and release it during peak usage periods, thereby enhancing grid flexibility.
Following its acquisition of Arlington Energy in 2022, Masdar has announced a commitment to invest £1 billion in a project pipeline of 3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery energy storage systems across the UK.
The Stockport facility has a capacity of 20 megawatts (MW) or 40 megawatt-hours (MWh), capable of supplying electricity to 20,000 homes for more than two hours.
The combined capacity of the Chesterfield and Cardiff projects is expected to reach 150MW and 300MWh, providing power for more than 35,000 homes in the UK for a full day.
In its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, the UK government is targeting 27 gigawatts (GW) of battery storage capacity by the end of the decade.
Husain Al Meer, Masdar’s director for global offshore wind and the UK, emphasized that battery storage is vital for transforming the UK’s energy landscape and facilitating greater renewable energy integration.
Masdar recently initiated groundwork on a significant 24/7 solar and battery storage project in Abu Dhabi, which will include a 5.2GW solar power plant paired with a 19GWh battery system to provide up to 1GW of baseload electricity daily.
Masdar’s UK initiatives also include a €5.2 billion partnership with Spain’s Iberdrola in the 1.4GW East Anglia Three offshore wind project, which aims to supply electricity to 1.3 million households. Furthermore, they are collaborating with Germany’s RWE on the 3GW Dogger Bank South offshore wind farm.
With over 51 GW of clean energy capacity, Masdar anticipates that its portfolio will exceed 100GW by 2030. The company operates and partners on projects in over 40 countries, successfully reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 14 million tonnes annually.
Masdar’s ownership structure consists of 43% held by Abu Dhabi’s state-owned Taqa, 33% by Mubadala, and 24% by Adnoc.
