The battery energy storage system (BESS) will be installed on the same site as the onshore converter station for Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm.
Aecom’s appointment follows an announcement in June that Tesla will provide the energy storage for Ørsted’s 2.9GW Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm, set to be operational by the end of 2026.
The battery array is expected to help balance the grid by storing energy when electricity generation exceeds demand and discharging it later when generation has fallen or demand risen.
Aecom is supporting Tesla with detailed design services for protection and control, and substation, plant and cabling systems, which is set to continue up to the end of February 2025. The battery will be installed in Swardeston, near Norwich, on the same site as the onshore substation for Hornsea 3. It will have a capacity of 600MWh – the equivalent to the daily energy use of 80,000 UK homes – and a power rating of 300MW.
“Offshore wind will play an important role in the UK’s energy mix and expanding renewable energy storage will be key to maximising its potential,” said Aecom UK & Ireland energy director Eloise John. “We’re excited to be supporting Tesla in its delivery of the battery energy storage system for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm.
“The benefits this project will provide to the UK’s energy grid – addressing the intermittency of renewable energy sources, thereby increasing system stability while reducing price volatility – will help accelerate the growing adoption of these types of batteries for offshore wind and beyond. This fantastic project shows the potential of this technology at a global level and highlights the need for energy shortage as an essential component of the UK’s energy strategy for transitioning to net zero.”
