A new multi-million-pound Perthshire battery plant will be able to power 130,000 homes.
Centrica Business Solutions has secured the development rights to a 65MW two-hour battery storage plant at Abernethy.
The Perthshire site will be the firm’s biggest project to date.
It is located near a connection for North Sea offshore wind farms and will help manage grid capacity.
It will charge when demand for power is low, and discharge when demand is at its highest.
Once connected to the grid in 2028, the plant will be able to store enough electricity to power 130,000 homes for an hour.
This could happen up to four times a day.
The project forms part of the energy company’s ambition to deliver around 1GW of low-carbon energy assets.
It will join a 30MW battery storage plant in Aberdeenshire, which is scheduled to go live next year.
Perthshire battery plant to improve UK’s ‘energy independence’
The firm behind the plans is an arm of Centrica, which owns British Gas. Centrica is run by Fifer Chris O’Shea.
Centrica Business Solutions managing director Gregory McKenna said: “The new battery storage site is our biggest project to date.
“It demonstrates our long-term commitment to improving the energy independence of the UK.
“If the country wants to achieve a reliable, secure and decarbonised power system, then battery storage sites must be the rule rather than the exception.
“Storing energy at times of surplus to keep the lights on during times of peak demand will be key to delivering on these ambitious targets.”
Centrica plant connected to grid in 2028
The project forms part of Centrica’s plan to deliver 1GW of low carbon energy assets.
Work on the Abernethy plant is expected to take around 10 months.
Mr McKenna added: “The five-year wait for a connection date shines a light on the challenges renewable energy projects like this continue to face.
“To keep the net zero transition on track, it’s important that we work to speed up grid connections and avoid further delays to new and existing projects.”
