The UK's National Grid has selected bidders for the development of proposed 200MW Enhanced Frequency Response (EFR), following a tender round.

A tender was earlier launched by the National Grid for the installation of the enhanced frequency response system across the UK to balance the country’s grid and modernize the electricity grid infrastructure.

The selected companies include EDF Energy Renewables, Vattenfall, EON, Low Carbon Storage Investment Company, Element Power, Renewable Energy Systems (RES) and Belectric Solar.

Worth £66m, the four-year grid-scale battery storage contracts were awarded to seven companies at eight different sites. It aims to balance electricity supply and demand on the grid on a second-by-second basis.

National Grid UK System Operator director Cordi O’Hara said: ‘We are constantly looking to the future to understand how we can make the most of the energy available to us.

“This project is at the very core of our Power Responsive work, to balance the Grid by the most efficient means possible, saving money and energy.

‘These awards show that we can work with industry to bring forward new technology and I believe storage has much to contribute to the flexible energy system of tomorrow. This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the industry.’

The contracts are expected to save £200m over four-year period.

EDF Energy Renewables was awarded contract to provide 49MW of battery storage at its West Burton combined cycle gas power station in Nottinghamshire.

EDF Energy Renewables CEO Matthieu Hue said: “The battery storage technology has an important role to play in a diverse energy mix which is moving towards decarburization.”

The first contract is scheduled to be signed in October 2017 and the latest in March 2018, reported Reuters.


Image: EDF Energy’s battery storage system at McHenry facility in the US. Photo: courtesy of EDF Energy.