Oslo, October 4, 2022. Norwegian energy company Equinor ASA will invest in a battery storage project on Blandford Road in the south of the UK. This will be Equinor’s first commercial battery storage and the first project under the strategic partnership between Equinor and… NORIKER ENERGY LIMITED And it comes true. Equinor acquired a 45 percent stake in Noriker Power Limited in December 2021. In addition to the equity investment, Equinor and Noriker have agreed a strategic partnership that gives Equinor the opportunity to participate directly in projects developed by Noriker. Blandford Road is the first project from Noraker’s portfolio to reach an investment decision.
Battery storage helps solve the problem of outages and improve security of supply.
“Equinor aims to build a profitable renewable energy business by integrating battery storage assets into our portfolio in selected electricity markets. Over the past 10 months, we have invested in two leading battery storage developers, Noraker Power in the UK and Eastpoint Energy in the US “Today we have taken the next step and approved our first commercial battery storage project,” says Olaf Kolbinstvedt, Senior Vice President Energy and Markets for Renewable Energy at Equinor.
“Our ownership position in Noraker gives us a platform to build an energy storage portfolio in the UK. We expect up to three battery storage projects to be approved in the country over the next six to nine months. Ingrid Vosgaard Moser, vice president of energy storage and renewable energy development at Equinor, says: “The portfolio of flexible storage assets will expand and diversify Equinor’s energy offering in the UK and strengthen our role as a reliable energy supplier.”
The Blandford Road project is a 25MW/50MWh battery storage asset in Dorset, southern England. The project will include CATL lithium-ion battery racks and will be connected to the SSE distribution network. The aim is to manage power outages, balance supply and demand and provide grid services to SSE and the National Grid.
To realize the project, Grupotec Renewable Limited has been appointed to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) works, while Noraker will manage and develop the project for Equinor.
“We are delighted to celebrate this important milestone in our partnership with Equinor. Our approach to technical integration and consideration of the full life cycle in the development and operation of projects will enable Equinor to truly optimize value as an asset owner in the long term,” says Mark Thomas, Managing Director of Noriker Power.
Construction of the project is scheduled to begin in January 2023, and it is expected to begin operation in the third quarter of 2023.
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