Canadian Solar To Help Deliver 99 MWh of BESS in UK

Global renewable energy conglomerate Canadian Solar has said that CSI Energy Storage has entered into an agreement to deliver 49.5MW/99MWh of turnkey battery energy storage solutions to European solar and storage player Cero Generation and Enso Energy in the United Kingdom. The energy storage infrastructure is taking speed as the country looks for faster energy transition.

Cero’s 11 GW development portfolio is one of the largest in Europe, covering utility-scale solar as well as integrated energy storage solutions. CSI Energy Storage which is a subsidiary of CSI Solar Co. which is majority owned by Canadian Solar.

Canadian Solar said that Cero and Enso will utilize its SolBank products for their 49.5MW/99MWh battery energy storage system. The BESS is co-located with the Larks Green solar PV project in South Gloucestershire, the UK. The Larks Green solar PV project is the UK’s first transmission-connected solar farm. Also owned and operated by Cero and Enso, it was energized in May 2023.

The Canadian Solar firm will also provide full commissioning and integration services for the projects, in addition to long-term operations and maintenance, warranties and performance guarantees.

The projects covered by the agreement are expected to reach commercial operation in late 2024, said Canadian Solar.

Marta Martinez Queimadelos, CEO of Cero Generation, said, “We’re thrilled to have established a strong and long-term partnership with CSI Energy Storage through this project, which will be our first battery energy storage system to enter the construction phase. We’re looking forward to growing this relationship as we commercialize our pipeline of energy storage projects across Europe.”

Ian Harding, Director of Enso Energy, said, “Adding Canadian Solar’s battery energy storage systems at the site will further optimize the use of the land as well as the grid connection there and be able to provide the electricity grid with more of the flexibility it desperately needs to transition to net zero.”

Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar, added, “To date, CSI Energy Storage has deployed around 2.7 GWh of battery energy storage solutions across the UK, U.S., Canada, and China, and has now executed agreements to deliver 739 MWh of energy storage solutions to projects throughout the UK.”

Canadian Solar informed that as of March 31, 2023, CSI Energy Storage’s total pipeline was 22.8 GWh. CSI Energy Storage recently bagged an order to deliver 363 MWh of battery energy products to an Aypa Power project in Texas.