UK-based Harmony Energy Income Trust plc (“HEIT”) has successfully launched its 99 MW/198 MW Tesla Megapack battery energy storage system project in Buckinghamshire, UK. It is the largest BESS in Europe.
Harmony Energy has launched its largest Bumpers BESS project in Europe: 99 MW / 198 MW in Buckinghamshire, UK. The second largest is the 98MW/196MWh Pillswood BESS in Yorkshire, launched in November 2022. As well as the successful delivery of power to the Bumpers project, HEIT’s 49.5MW / 99 MWh Little Raith BESS, located in Scotland, was also supplied with power in October.
These developments mark a significant step forward in the transition to clean energy technologies. The projects bring HEIT’s total operating capacity to 277.5 MW/555 MWh across five projects (about 70% of the total portfolio based on total MW capacity), according to the press release.
Both projects use two-hour Tesla Megapack 2XL systems. They can store enough energy to power about 450,000 homes for two hours. The projects are implemented through Autobidder, Tesla’s trading platform. It has previously demonstrated successful collaboration with HEIT at sites in Pillswood, Broadditch, and Farnham.
Both projects will provide important balancing services to the UK’s electricity network. In addition, they will allow the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, which has a critical impact on the environment. Increasing the number of BESS projects reduces the need for the National Grid to limit the operation of wind farms during periods when renewable energy production exceeds demand. BESS stores this excess energy and dumps it back into the grid when renewable energy is not available, resulting in a more efficient and reliable renewable energy grid.
Max Slade, Director of the investment manager of HEIT, said:
“We want to be at the forefront of a greener and more sustainable future, and the energization of the Bumpers and Little Raith projects is another significant step in the right direction for achieving Net Zero and our full portfolio build out. Like all our projects, these aren’t supported by taxpayer subsidy.
“A massive congratulations to our incredible delivery team and partners who have once again delivered ahead of schedule despite the challenging global supply chain environment. We would like to give particular thanks to Tesla and Wilson Power Solutions on both projects, UK Power Networks and Keltbray on Bumpers, and RJ McLeod, Integrated Utility Services (IUS) and SP Energy Networks on Little Raith for their efforts in delivering this major achievement.”
