Ethical Power has partnered with Varco Energy to deliver an almost 50MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Cornwall.
Varco Energy’s Sambar Power BESS project, located near Newquay, Cornwall, is expected to come online by Q2 2025 and will have a capacity of 47.5MW. Energy storage asset owner and operator Ethical Power will provide Balance of Plant (BoP) work to install BESS equipment on the site, which Varco Energy announced last week will be provided by GE Vernova. Ethical Power will also undertake the electrical, mechanical and civil infrastructure required for connection to the National Grid transmission network.
This is not the first time that Ethical Power and Varco have partnered for UK BESS projects, having previously collaborated on the Native River project near Liverpool and the Sizing John Project south of St Helens, each of which has a 57MW capacity.
Rachel Ruffle, chief operating officer at Ethical Power, said: “Ethical Power is delighted to partner with Varco Energy for the installation and connection of this grid-scale battery asset. Projects like Sambar Power are vital for grid stability and the continued expansion of renewable energy in the UK. We are looking forward to delivering the project safely, to programme, and ensuring highest quality standards are maintained.”
Director of Varco Energy, James Mills added: “At Varco, we are committed to investing in assets that will accelerate renewable integration, sustain a resilient grid and drive consumer value in the UK. We are therefore delighted to be working in partnership with Ethical Power to deliver this 47.5MW project in the UK, with the intention to bring the asset online by Q2 2025.”
RES seeks permission in Scotland
Meanwhile, at the other end of the UK, RES has submitted planning permission for the Corshellach energy storage proposal to Moray Council in Scotland.
If approved, the proposed 49.9MW BESS project will be situated on land adjacent to Berryburn substation near Dunphail. RES noted that this places it near existing transmission infrastructure, which minimises the need for additional construction. The proposal is expected to go before Moray Council’s Planning Committee in the next few months; if approved, it will take around a year to construct.
Environmental concerns sit at the heart of this planning application, with RES expressing how the Corshellach Energy Storage System had been designed to fit sensitively into the landscape, following multiple surveys and assessments surrounding environment, landscape, heritage and the welfare of local residents.
Milo Amsbury-Savage, development project manager for RES, remarked upon how the community consultation process impacted the final proposal, commenting: “We’ve taken time throughout the project’s development to listen to people’s feedback in order to improve the project; for example, using the same delivery route as Berryburn Wind Farm construction to avoid the narrow Divie Viaduct. Everyone who took the time to provide feedback following our community consultation exhibitions was either supportive or neutral towards the project, with many approving of the choice of location.”
Milo added: “It is clear that people are feeling better informed about the need for energy storage and the vital role it plays in the wider decarbonisation of the energy industry to achieve our net zero targets and tackle climate change.
