Trina Storage commissioned and tested the 50MW/56.2MWh battery system. Image: Trina Storage
Trina Storage has completed the supply of its first UK battery energy storage system (BESS), the 50MW/56.2MWh fully integrated grid-scale battery energy storage system owned by SMS plc.
The BESS, which is located in Burwell was constructed by Ethical Power. Trina Storage, meanwhile, supplied, commissioned and tested the system, which is to provide balancing services to National Grid ESO following its commercial operations.
Consisting of lithium-ion battery racks, PCS and transformer units, Trina Storage said the BESS was designed to maximise system performance as well as increase battery life. It has also been equipped with modular, flexible and scalable Power Plant Controller (PPC) and SCADA to control, monitor and optimise system performance.
A flexible capacity warranty covering full system supply, including commissioning and standard product warranty, as well as preventive maintenance is also provided.
Construction of the asset began in February 2021, with the asset – alongside a further 40MW BESS in Barnsley, South Yorkshire – marking SMS’ entry into the UK utility-scale storage market, according to Tim Mortlock, chief operating officer at SMS.
Prior to the development of the two BESS assets, SMS entered the virtual power plant (VPP) space with the acquisition of battery storage, microgeneration and electric vehicle charger start-up Solo Energy in 2020. It then launched a solution offering local housing authorities a fully financed solar generation and smart battery storage solution, dubbed Solopower, in 2021.
Trina Storage, which was launched in January 2021 by vertically-integrated solar PV company Trina Solar, said that by forging an end-to-end partnership with SMS and third parties it reduced complexity and project delivery times with its supply chain expertise.
Terry Chen, head of overseas energy storage business, Trina Storage, said: “Commissioning of the Burwell plant marks our first successful system delivery in the UK. It’s an important milestone for us.”
