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Varco Energy chooses Fluence to deliver battery energy storage project providing critical grid flexibility in Great Britain
The project will increase energy security and enable greater integration of renewables by participating in the capacity market and providing fast-acting
About this update from Fluence Energy, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"The project will increase energy security and enable greater integration of renewables by participating in the capacity market and providing fast-acting flexibility services.The energy storage system will have enough capacity to power approximately 37,000 British homes for the period of 2.4h LONDON, Sept. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Varco Energy (Varco), a pioneering UK-based battery-based energy storage asset owner and operator, has chosen Fluence Energy UK Ltd. (Fluence), a subsidiary of Fluence Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLNC) to deliver one of its first battery-based energy storage systems in the United Kingdom. The 57 MW / 137.5 MWh project, named Sizing John, will be deployed at a substation in Rainhill, south of St Helens. It will support National Grid Energy System Operator (NGESO) in balancing the power grid as more intermittent renewables come online, by providing a suite of fast-acting flexibility services. The project will also trade on wholesale power markets to help load shift excess renewable energy into periods of peak demand, as well as support energy security through participating in the capacity market. The Sizing John project comes at a highly relevant time for the UK, not only in supporting the government’s move towards net zero, but by providing much needed new-build investment into a storage sector that is integral to managing the supply and demand flow of renewable energy. The project has pre-designed significant expansion capabilities to match a potential higher connection capacity expected in 2026, which would further help NGESO balance one of the most congested parts of the UK power grid, known as the ‘Mersey Ring’. Varco, an Adaptogen Capital funded BESS operating company, is on a mission to drive the energy transition to a net-zero future by building flexible energy storage. By helping to integrate renewable energy generation and balance the grid, Varco aims to make sustainable energy accessible and affordable for all consumers. James Mills, Director, Varco Energy, said: “Battery-based energy storage is critically needed infrastructure to help balance the intermittent nature of renewable energy generation and break the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels. We are therefore delighted to be partnering with Fluence, an industry leader in safety standards, experience in the market, and speed and quality of deployme...