Orsted has decided to make investment in a battery energy storage system co-located with Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm.
Orsted will install the Tesla battery energy storage system on the same site as the onshore converter station for Orsted’s Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm in Swardeston, near Norwich, Norfolk, in the eastern part of England. The battery’s location on the same land as the onshore converter station minimises disruption to those living and working nearby, Orsted said.
The storage system has a capacity of 600 MWh (and a 300 MW power rating), equivalent to the daily energy use of 80,000 UK homes. When it is windy and sunny, so that electricity generation exceeds demand, the battery will store the excess so it can be discharged later to help balance the grid.
Orsted said this will reduce price volatility for consumers as it will make more power available, including during peak periods, when energy is traditionally more expensive. It will also result in UK energy systems being easier to manage by helping smooth out the variations between supply and demand.
The UK is one of the world’s largest markets for offshore wind and the market where Orsted has the most offshore wind farms (12) in operation.
The battery energy storage system is expected to be operational by the end of 2026. Orsted did not reveal financial details of the project.
Duncan Clark, Head of UK & Ireland in Orsted, said: “Our 12 operational UK offshore wind farms are providing a huge amount of clean energy to the grid. We’re adding significantly to Orsted’s growing portfolio of storage solutions co-located with onshore and offshore renewable assets.”
Mike Snyder, Senior Director of Megapack at Tesla, said: “This project demonstrates the flexibility of Tesla’s power electronics, providing enhanced grid stability and enabling more renewables on the grid.”
Orsted has a total of 660 MW (1,850 MWh) storage projects in operation or under construction in the UK and US. In addition, Orsted is developing a storage opportunity pipeline of +2 GW across the UK, Ireland, and the US.