Battery storage plant to supply power to thousands of homes
New flexible power demanded
The Roosecote site on the Cumbrian coast was built as a coal-fired power station in 1953. In the 1990s it was converted to a gas-fired power station but eventually reached the end of its life. Centrica Business Solutions sanctioned the project to build a battery storage plant on the site which would provide more flexible power to the region.
Meeting changing energy generation needs
The 49 MW battery storage facility is part of a £180m investment into new flexible power plants across the UK. It will be used as an asset to support National Grid. It stores energy and discharges it back onto the network in response to fluctuations in electricity supply and demand.
With the intermittency of renewable energy generation, such as solar and wind, Centrica Business Solutions can use its portfolio of flexible power stations and energy storage, such as Roosecote, to provide a stable back-up energy source.
The results
The Roosecote battery holds enough power to meet the needs of around 50,000 homes; the equivalent to powering a town the size of Carlisle. It can respond to fluctuations in demand in under one second.
With a maximum capacity output of 49 MW, the equivalent of 123,000 batteries, Roosecote is one of the largest battery storage facilities in Europe.
Mark Futyan, Merchant Power Director, Centrica Business Solutions, said: "We are delighted to start breathing life back into the old Roosecote site. This is a great opportunity for the region to be at the forefront of a new era for the energy industry as we bring in the very best state-of-the-art battery technology to help ensure stability of supply for local homes and businesses."
