French utility EDF has agreed to trade, optimise and offtake energy from a 116MW solar and battery project in Warley, UK.
DIF Capital Partners and ib vogt are developing the project.
EDF will be responsible for the real-time management of the co-located solar and battery assets, utilising the shared transmission-level grid connection to maximise efficiency.
The partnership aims to optimise the performance of both assets, providing the grid with essential flexibility and a secure energy source.
The site in Warley, Essex, is one of the UK's largest co-located energy sites.
Its 116MW capacity comprises a 66MW solar plant and a 50MW battery storage system, which EDF will optimise through its Powershift platform.
The company will handle the offtake of energy produced over a ten-year term.
It will leverage its trading expertise to access revenue streams including the balancing mechanism, wholesale optimisation and ancillary services.
This is one of the first instances in the UK where a single entity provides both offtake and battery optimisation services for a large co-located site.
EDF wholesale market service commercial director Stuart Fenner stated: “We are very pleased that we have been chosen to deliver trading, optimisation and offtake services for one of the UK’s largest co-located solar and battery sites.
“This unique deal exemplifies the innovation needed to address our energy challenges, which will help to secure green energy for the future and deliver on our commitment to help Britain achieve net zero.”
ib vogt broke ground on the 66MW solar and 50MW storage project in February 2023. This was followed by six other co-located projects in a 720MW portfolio comprising 380MW of solar and 340MW of battery storage.
In the same month, DIF Capital Partners, through its DIF Infrastructure VII fund, acquired the portfolio from Enso Green, a joint venture between Cero Generation and Enso Energy.
ib vogt, the minority shareholder of the portfolio, is also its engineering, procurement and construction contractor.
