Work starts on pioneering battery storage project at former coal plant in Ferrybridge

Work has started on a new energy storage system in Ferrybridge aimed at helping at tackling the climate crisis.
By Daniel Camenzuli
Published 22nd Aug 2023, 06:00 BST
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Delegates from SSE Renewables, who are creating a battery energy storage system at the former coal plant, were joined by contractor OCU Services Ltd and battery supplier Sungrow Power UK Ltd for a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the project starting.

The Ferrybridge site once helped power the UK with its landmark coal-fired plant and was decommissioned by SSE in 2016.

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Richard Cave-Bigley, director of solar and battery at SSE Renewables, said: “We’re breaking new ground with our first battery at an existing SSE site.

Construction has begun on SSE Renewables Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) one the site of SSE’s former Ferrybridge coal-fired power station in West Yorkshire. Picture shows; Left to Right, Construction partner representatives, Richard Cave-Bingley, Managing Director SSE Solar & Battery, Liam O’Sullivan, Senior Operations Director, Power & Energy, OCU Group, and Andrew Lycett, Country Manager, UK& Ireland, Sungrow ©Stuart Nicol Photography 2023Construction has begun on SSE Renewables Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) one the site of SSE’s former Ferrybridge coal-fired power station in West Yorkshire. Picture shows; Left to Right, Construction partner representatives, Richard Cave-Bingley, Managing Director SSE Solar & Battery, Liam O’Sullivan, Senior Operations Director, Power & Energy, OCU Group, and Andrew Lycett, Country Manager, UK& Ireland, Sungrow ©Stuart Nicol Photography 2023
Construction has begun on SSE Renewables Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) one the site of SSE’s former Ferrybridge coal-fired power station in West Yorkshire. Picture shows; Left to Right, Construction partner representatives, Richard Cave-Bingley, Managing Director SSE Solar & Battery, Liam O’Sullivan, Senior Operations Director, Power & Energy, OCU Group, and Andrew Lycett, Country Manager, UK& Ireland, Sungrow ©Stuart Nicol Photography 2023

"Ferrybridge used to be a coal site but today we’ve evolved to building a 150MW flexible battery asset that can store the energy we need to help get to net zero.”

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Vince Bowler, managing director of OCU Services Ltd, said: “Breaking ground at Ferrybridge is a fantastic project milestone to achieve.

“We’re proud to be involved in this low-carbon technology scheme and look forward to continued collaborative working with SSE Renewables and Sungrow to safely deliver this infrastructure critical in meeting the UK’s peak demand and power requirements.”

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SSE Renewables is progressing with other solar and battery projects across the UK and Ireland, with further prospective battery storage sites under development.

The business has also received planning consent for battery storage projects at Fiddler’s Ferry and Monk Fryston.