BW ESS starts Hams Hall, Europe's largest battery by capacity at 1,243 MWh

BW ESS has started commercial operations at the first phase of its Hams Hall battery energy storage system in North Warwickshire, England, adding 350 MW / 1,243 MWh to the grid bw-ess.comBW ESS newsbw-ess.comOpen source ↗energy-pedia.comEnergy-pediaenergy-pedia.comPhase one of Hams Hall brings 350 MW / 1,243 MWh into commercial operation; BW ESS says it is the largest battery in Europe by MWhOpen source ↗. The company announced the milestone in London on November 2 and says it makes Hams Hall the largest battery in Europe by storage capacity in MWh renewableenergymagazine.comRenewable Energy Magazinerenewableenergymagazine.comOpen source ↗.

Hams Hall battery: phases and numbers

Phase one reached commercial operation just 20 days after energisation and was built "on budget and ahead of schedule", according to chief executive Erik Strømsø energy-pedia.comEnergy-pediaenergy-pedia.comPhase one of Hams Hall brings 350 MW / 1,243 MWh into commercial operation; BW ESS says it is the largest battery in Europe by MWhOpen source ↗. The site connects to the nearby Hams Hall 400 kV National Grid substation.

BW ESS says the full 400 MW / 1,424 MWh system will be able to support around 1.3 million homes for up to 3.5 hours. Sungrow, Energy-IO, National Grid and the system operator NESO worked with the company on commissioning, testing and preparation for operation.

How the project is financed

Revenue is underpinned by a 10-year floor agreement with EDF, which guarantees a minimum income while the battery trades in the market. In October BW ESS secured debt financing for the full 400 MW / 1,424 MWh project from OCBC, Rabobank and Societe Generale. Hams Hall joins the 331 MWh Bramley battery in Hampshire in the company's UK portfolio, and it is part of the 2.6 GWh Ardenham portfolio co-owned with AIP Management renewableenergymagazine.comRenewable Energy Magazinerenewableenergymagazine.comOpen source ↗.

Long-duration batteries of this size let the grid store surplus wind and solar output and release it during evening peaks, reducing curtailment of renewables.