Shrewsbury: FAQs

No it won’t. We don’t expect you will notice much once the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is operational. The site will be monitored 24/7/365 from a control centre used to charge and discharge the battery.

Battery storage systems are not immune to wear and tear. Through regular maintenance, potential issues can be identified and resolved before they escalate, helping extend the lifespan of the batteries and other crucial components.

We will perform regular inspections, and maintenance plays an essential role in identifying potential safety hazards, such as faulty wiring, overheating, or chemical leaks. Addressing these risks promptly helps prevent accidents and ensures the safety of both the system and its users.

Yes they are. The explanation is that like any commodity you have to be able to store electricity to be able to supply it when it’s demanded by consumers. As the UK’s national electricity mix moves away from fossil fuel based generation to renewables generation sources (Wind, Solar, Hydro, Pump Storage) etc there will be times in each day when there is an imbalance between supply generation and consumer demand for electricity.

A Battery Energy Storage System levels out the peaks and troughs of daily demand. Offshore wind generated at 2am in the morning can be stored and released to the grid at 7am when we all wake up and turn on our kettles. Likewise a really sunny Sunday summer’s afternoon the excess of solar generation can be stored and released to the grid later that evening.

Battery storage technology has a key part to play in ensuring our homes and businesses can be powered by green energy even when the sun isn’t shining or the wind has stopped blowing. For example, the UK has the largest installed capacity of offshore wind in the world, but the ability to capture this energy and purposefully deploy it can increase the value of this clean energy; by increasing production and potentially reducing costs.

Every day engineers must match supply with demand. Managing these peaks and troughs becomes more challenging when the target is to achieve net zero carbon production. Fossil-fuel fired plants have traditionally been used to manage these peaks and troughs, but battery energy storage facilities can replace a portion of these so-called peaking power generators over time.

The UK government estimates technologies like battery storage systems – supporting the integration of more low-carbon power, heat and transport technologies – could save the UK energy system up to £40 billion by 2050, ultimately reducing people’s energy bills.

BESS are considerably more advanced than the batteries you use domestically for torches, toys, and small power tools. A battery storage system can be charged by electricity generated from renewable energy, like wind and solar power.

Intelligent battery software uses algorithms to coordinate energy production and computerised control systems are used to decide when to store energy or to release it to the grid. Energy is released from the Battery Storage System during times of peak demand, keeping costs down for all consumers and electricity flowing preventing interruptions.

The advantages of Battery Storage Systems are many. They make renewable energy more reliable and thus more viable. The supply of solar and wind power can fluctuate, so battery storage systems are crucial to “smoothing out” this flow to provide a continuous power supply of energy when it's needed around the clock, no matter whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining.

Commercial Battery Energy Storage Systems are also able to directly help the National Grid prevent ‘grid fluctuations’ that if left unmanaged are really damaging to electrical equipment both domestic and commercial.

Battery Energy Storage technologies are essential to speeding up the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy within the UK. Battery Storage Systems will play an increasingly pivotal role between the UK’s green energy supplies and responding to electricity demands for both domestic, business and industrial consumers.