50MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), Burwell, Cambridgeshire, UK | SMS plc

In January 2022, energy solutions group, SMS plc successfully energised its first battery energy storage system (BESS) in Burwell, Cambridgeshire.

Capable of storing and releasing up to 50MW of power, which is the equivalent amount required to serve thousands of homes with electricity, the site is one the largest projects of its kind to come online in the United Kingdom to date.

The system of lithium-ion batteries is able to store clean power such as wind and solar when electricity demand is low and release it to the network when demand is high, playing an important role in enhancing the country’s renewable energy mix. Following energisation, SMS – which independently owns, manages, and operates the system – will now begin delivering a range of balancing and ancillary services essential for building grid resilience.

The ability of batteries to support the grid with required flexibility means that increased deployment of the technology is fundamental for Britain’s transition to a low-carbon energy system.

‪@smsplc4761‬ independently develop, own and operate Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) that serve a greener, resilient, and more flexible National Grid. With 25 years’ experience delivering large-scale electrical infrastructure across the country, we are today a market leader in the construction and operation of grid-scale battery storage sites.