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In Teesside, Sembcorp Energy UK is primarily known for managing Wilton International and supplying energy and utilities to their customers on the site. But this is just one part of Sembcorp’s UK activities. In fact, the company is a leading UK-wide provider of sustainable energy solutions, supporting the country's transition to Net Zero.
Battery storage is one of Sembcorp’s core services - the company has a current operational portfolio of 120MWh across five sites in England. Batteries represent a critical technology in the UK’s energy transition. While renewable energy sources such as wind or solar are sustainable, they are also intermittent - the wind doesn’t blow all the time, the sun doesn’t always shine, or at least not necessarily at times of peak electricity demand. That’s where batteries come in, providing the capability to store the energy generated by renewables for use later, when demand increases, or when renewable sources are unable to deliver.
Battery storage also enables the National Grid Electricity System Operator (NG ESO) to dynamically manage the UK’s energy system in real time. Sembcorp’s batteries automatically increase or decrease their output to ensure that the system frequency remains consistently within safe limits, reducing the risk of power cuts.
In recent years, Sembcorp’s UK battery portfolio has been growing. The company expanded its UK-wide operations in 2018 and brought its first 60MWh of batteries online, across three sites, the following year. Today the live portfolio stands at 120MWh and continues to grow. As the next stage in its ambitious plans for portfolio expansion, Sembcorp is bringing its battery storage operations to Wilton International on Teesside, with the aim of growing the UK operational portfolio even further.
The battery development will further enhance Wilton International’s growing reputation as a strategic UK site for sustainable energy and industrial investments. Other recent projects on site have included the Onshore Converter Station for the £3 billion offshore Sofia Wind Farm and sustainable fuel manufacturing facilities with Nova Pangaea Technologies and their support for sustainable aviation fuel. Meanwhile, the wider Teesside industrial cluster is at the forefront of industrial decarbonisation technologies and investment projects in the UK.
Andy Koss, CEO of UK & Middle East, Sembcorp Industries, said, ‘Now, more than ever, flexible energy sources play an increasingly important role in maintaining secure and reliable energy supplies. With a growing reliance on renewables, the UK energy system needs to be flexible and able to respond quickly to changes. Sembcorp Energy UK is committed to accelerating the energy transition with sustainable solutions, such as batteries. Additionally, the location of batteries at Wilton International strengthens Teesside’s green regeneration and position as a hub of low-carbon innovation in the North East.’
Contact Sembcorp Energy UK to find out more about sustainable energy and industrial developments at Wilton International.
Battery Supply Chain