Construction on a new battery storage facility at Chapel Farm in Luton has completed, with the battery now online and providing capacity for the local distribution network operator.
TagEnergy and Yorkshire-headquartered Harmony Energy partnered on the project, which delivered a 49.5 MW/99 MWh standalone energy storage system consisting of Tesla Megapack batteries. It is TagEnergy’s second project in the UK, following a smaller installation in Shaftesbury that began operating in September 2022.
The new energy storage facility benefits from Tesla’s AutoBidder AI software, which allows for real-time trading and control. This will help maximise the facility’s profitability, with renewable energy company RES overseeing operations as asset manager.
“We are proud to work alongside our valued partner Harmony Energy and leverage our battery storage expertise to bring this important project to fruition quickly as we continue to drive momentum towards net-zero carbon emissions,” Franck Woitiez, Chief Executive Office of TagEnergy, said.
“Importantly, with more than double the operational capacity of our first live facility, Chapel Farm will provide a significant clean energy boost to the national grid and help grow renewables’ share of it. Our increased ability to capture, store and release renewable energy will support delivery of a more flexible and reliable supply of low-cost electricity for consumers at this critical time for the market,” he said.
Peter Kavanagh, Harmony Energy’s CEO and Co-Founder, added, “The completion and energisation of the Chapel Farm scheme is another significant milestone for us especially as it is the first JV project we have delivered with TagEnergy which has been a great partner.”
“Battery energy storage systems are essential to unlocking the full potential of renewable energy in the UK. These projects are not reliant upon taxpayer subsidy and will play a major role in contributing to the Net Zero transition, as well as ensuring the future security of the UK’s energy supply and reduced reliance on foreign gas imports.”
Mark Cumbo, Director, Infrastructure & Renewable Energy, Santander UK, which helped finance the plan, concluded, “We’re delighted to have supported the Chapel Farm project with a structured debt solution and to now see that the asset has reached its operational phase. Battery assets, such as Chapel Farm, are a key enabler for the increasing penetration of renewable energy generation assets and to the UK meeting its Net Zero target.”
Together, Chapel Farm and TagEnergy’s previous site in Hawkers Hill, Shaftesbury, give the company a combined clean energy operational capacity of 69.6 MW/139 MWh in the UK. With more sites set to come live over the next two years, TagEnergy notes that it will soon bolster the grid by more than 350 MW.