Enhancing Grid Stability During UK’s Path to Decarbonisation – Inside the Landmark Blackhillock Battery Project
Wärtsilä Energy Storage and Zenobē recently hosted an in-depth exploration of the Blackhillock battery energy storage system in Scotland. At 200 MW / 400 MWh (with plans to expand to 300 MW / 600 MWh), it stands as one of Europe's largest operational BESS installations and represented a significant advancement in grid stability and clean energy integration.
The session highlighted how the Blackhillock project established new benchmarks for energy storage capabilities, with implications for both the UK and global markets.
What makes Blackhillock unique:
- One of Europe’s largest operational BESS: Raising the bar for grid-scale storage
- First BESS delivered under the NOA Stability Pathfinder Programme: A new model for delivering system stability
- Advanced system services: Among the first in the world to deliver stability services at this scale
- Grid-forming innovation: Providing virtual inertia and short-circuit current to keep the grid balanced as renewables grow
In this webinar, experts covered:
- UK market dynamics and what’s driving the need for advanced grid services
- How synthetic inertia and short-circuit current provision support grid stability as thermal power plants retire
- The flexibility and intelligence of the controls and optimisation software, GEMS, in managing multi-tenant energy trading
- How Blackhillock can serve as a benchmark for future reliable, decarbonised power systems
Webinar Speaker:
Caroline Wright
General Manager, Market Development, Europe & UK
Wärtsilä Energy Storage & Optimisation
