SSE Renewables has taken ownership of a 120MW/240MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project under development in Ireland’s Midlands.
SSE Renewables acquired the project development rights for the Thornsberry BESS, a consented project due to be located in County Offaly, from Grid Systems Services, a BESS developer owned by Low Carbon. The firm did not reveal the cost of the acquisition.
A grid connection offer allowing the completed BESS to import and export 120MW to Ireland’s national grid via a local 110kV substation has already been agreed for the project. Subject to a final investment decision by SSE Renewables, the project could be operational by the end of the decade.
SSE Renewables has been growing its BESS portfolio on the Emerald Isle of late, with the company now holding a 300MW BESS pipeline on the island of Ireland. In May of this year, SSE Renewables acquired the 100MW/200MWh Derrymeen BESS, located in Northern Ireland, which is expected to come online in 2026. The company also has BESS projects under development in County Mayo, which will host an 80MW BESS, and County Kerry, where SSE is planning a 100MW development.
Heather Donald, Director of Onshore Wind, Solar and Battery for UK and Ireland at SSE Renewables, called the acquisition “a great step forward” in the company’s plans to expand its Irish BESS portfolio. Donald added: “The Midlands has a long and proud tradition of supporting Ireland’s energy security. With the development of new onshore wind, solar and battery projects such as Thornsberry, the region can continue to play a significant role in delivering homegrown energy for Irish consumers while decarbonising the country’s power system.”
The Irish BESS market
While Ireland’s BESS sector is still relatively small, it is very much on the rise, with some significant technical developments as well as an increased number of projects.
Statkraft is currently developing Ireland’s first grid-scale 4-hour BESS, a 20MW project co-located with Statkraft’s own 55.8MW Cushaling Wind Farm. This development is also located in County Offaly, and is currently under construction.
Exciting new BESS technology could soon make its way to Ireland’s shores. FuturEnergy has chosen Ireland as the location for what, if approved, will be Europe’s first iron-air BESS. Iron-air batteries are an extremely new technology, but one that is very much setting the energy industry abuzz; Form Energy, who will deliver Ireland’s iron-air BESS, has received a slew of funding offers from the US government for projects to be located in California, West Virginia, and New York, as covered by our sister site Energy Storage News.
Ireland’s large number of data centres – 82 are currently operational, with 14 more under construction and planning permission granted for a further 40 – makes it well placed for BESS developments capable of storing the vast amount of energy these centres require. GridBeyond recently announced that it would provide BESS for two data centres in Ireland, owned by Keppel DC REIT. One site will receive two 2MW/2.2MWh BESS, while the other will be supplied with a 4MW/6.1MWh BESS.
