Arenko’s 41MW Bloxwich battery. Image: Arenko.

Arenko Group has entered into a partnership with Varco Energy on the Native River and Sizing John battery energy storage solution (BESS) assets.

Sizing John will be deployed at a substation in Rainhill, south of St, Helens, whilst Native River, will be located south of Liverpool.

The assets are situated in a particularly congested part of the UK’s high voltage grid, meaning that they will provide essential balancing serviced to the National Grid system operator.

Both of Varco’s assets have a 57MW/138MWh capacity, reaching construction stage in September this year, ahead of their forecast operation date in the last quarter of 2024.

The new partnership will see Arenko act as the route to market provider for both BESS sites, whilst also providing alternate other project commercialisation services.

“We are delighted to be working with Varco Energy, using our software to add value to their assets. Our customer-centric offering utilises automation technology, AI, enhanced analytics and deep-learning algorithms to enhance returns for asset owners,” said Rupert Newland, founder and CEO of Arenko Group.

We look forward to delivering on the Native River and Sizing John assets and on Varco’s future BESS projects.”

Richard Whitmore, director of Varco Energy, said: “We are very pleased to be working with Arenko to optimise our first two projects using their market leading algorithmic software platform and route to market team. We look forward to working closely with them to help maximise the value and services our projects can provide to the grid, using some of the longest duration and highest cycling BESS designs to be introduced to the UK market.”

Both projects were made possible due to Varco securing £58 million in financing from NatWest earlier this year.