Europe’s largest battery storage system has been switched on early to help ease a potential winter energy crisis.
Harmony Energy’s huge Pillswood project, by the Creyke Beck substation at Cottingham, near Hull, can hold enough electricity to power 300,000 homes for two hours. Initially planned to come online in two phases in December and March, it was accelerated to help meet winter demand, providing critical balancing services to support renewables as the squeeze on gas due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.
It has been managed by Tesla, and will be operated through Autobidder, the algorithmic trading platform from the US green energy giant, famed for its cars and headed by Elon Musk.
