BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 17. Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar, a global clean energy leader, announced the start of commercial operations at its battery energy storage system (BESS) facility in Stockport, marking the first project under its £1 billion UK BESS investment plan, Trend reports via Masdar.
The company also plans two additional BESS projects in Cardiff and Chesterfield.
The Stockport facility, located on Welkin Road, has a capacity of 20 megawatts (MW)/40 megawatt-hours (MWh), enough to store electricity for 20,000 homes for over two hours. The Chesterfield and Cardiff projects, with a combined capacity of 150 MW/300 MWh, are expected to power more than 35,000 UK homes for a full day. Construction on the Stockport site began in May 2024.
Following its acquisition of Arlington Energy in 2022, Masdar committed £1 billion to a 3-gigawatt-hour (GWh) BESS pipeline in the UK, supporting the country’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which aims to build up to 27 GW of battery storage by the end of the decade.
BESS technology helps balance intermittent renewable energy supply by storing electricity during low demand and releasing it at peak times, enhancing grid stability, energy security, and integration of renewables, while lowering consumer bills and emissions.
Masdar said its UK projects are built to international safety standards, including fire detection and suppression systems, 24-hour CCTV monitoring, and local response capability. The projects are also being developed in consultation with local communities to deliver environmental and economic benefits.
The Stockport plant occupies a brownfield site, with biodiversity enhancements including bird and bat boxes, Japanese knotweed control, and native flora planting. A community fund will support local initiatives. The Chesterfield site, on former coal mining land, will transform the area into a clean energy hub while preserving agricultural character. The Cardiff project is sited on an industrial brownfield, avoiding new greenfield development and utilising existing infrastructure efficiently.