Coalburn 1, a 500 MW, two-hour duration battery energy storage system in Scotland, has begun commercial operations, becoming the largest operational battery in Europe.
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its flagship fund Copenhagen Infrastructure IV (CI IV), has announced that Coalburn 1 has commenced commercial operations.
Coalburn 1 is a two-hour lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) located in South Lanarkshire in southern Scotland.
It will play an important role in strengthening the flexibility and resilience of the UK power system and supporting the continued integration of renewable energy generation, according to CIP.
Coalburn 1 is one of three transmission-connected facilities developed by CIP in Scotland
The BESS is part of CIP’s expanding portfolio of UK energy infrastructure investments. It is one of three transmission-connected BESS assets developed by CIP in Scotland.
Together, Coalburn 1, Coalburn 2, and Devilla will provide 1.5 GW of power capacity and 3 GWh of energy storage, helping to enhance security of supply and enable greater deployment of renewable energy across the UK, the company explained.
Nischal Agarwal, Partner at CIP, stressed that the successful delivery of Coalburn 1 marks an important milestone for CIP and its growing European BESS portfolio.
Agarwal: Coalburn 1 will enhance the flexibility and resilience of the UK electricity system
“As Europe’s largest operational battery energy storage system, Coalburn 1 will enhance the flexibility and resilience of the UK electricity system, support the integration of more renewable power, and contribute to lowering costs for consumers,” Agarwal pointed out.
Alongside Coalburn 2 and Devilla, the project demonstrates CIP’s industrial capabilities in developing, commercializing, and delivering energy infrastructure at scale, he added.
CIP, founded in 2012, is a global fund manager. The fund has raised EUR 43 billion to date.
In late June, CIP announced that it had reached financial close, through its Growth Markets Fund II (GMF II), for the 392 MW Peștera 2 wind project in Romania’s Constanța county.
