Scottish clean energy developer Intelligent Land Investments (ILI) Group have announced the successful sale of their 50MW Battery Storage project Balnacraig, Alness, Highlands to EDP Renewables (EDPR), a global leader in the renewable energy sector.
 
The Balnacraig project, located near Alness, Highlands, will contribute with approximately 50 MW of capacity to the region’s power grid and hold enough energy to power every home in the Highlands for 2 hours. This asset will also play an important role in grid management, offering flexibility and supporting the country’s renewable energy strategy. The construction is set to kick off in a few months, with the aim of start operation until the beginning of 2025.

This significant transaction brings the total to 900MW of energy storage projects that ILI Group has progressed to the development stage. The company has an ’overall portfolio of 4.7 GW of energy storage projects across Scotland, including 2.5 GW of Pumped Storage Hydro and 2.5 GW of Battery Storage. 

With over 15GW of wind and solar energy assets developed globally, EDPR brings substantial large-scale project expertise. The company is investing in optimizing resources and improving energy efficiency by developing energy storage projects in the UK, one of its key European markets. Early this year, EDPR acquired its first Battery Energy Storage System in Kent, England. EDPR’s experience spans Europe, North and South America, and Asia Pacific markets. 

Mark Wilson, CEO of ILI Group, said, "We are pleased to announce this sale of our 50MW Balnacraig battery storage project to EDPR, a global leader in renewable energy development. Energy storage is absolutely vital to supporting the continued growth of renewables and ensuring grid stability as we work to decarbonize our energy system. Our pumped hydro and battery storage portfolio represents crucial infrastructure for balancing supply and demand. We are delighted to intrust this project to EDP, a company that shares our vision for a greener, more resilient energy system."

Carmen Caminero, Country Manager of UK at EDP Renewables, highlighted that “EDPR is ramping up its investments in solutions that can contribute to a higher use of renewable electricity and maximize energy efficiency. By adding this new asset to our portfolio in the UK, a leading market in storage systems, we are paving the way to other investments in this crucial technology for a sustainable energy transition”.

In its updated Business Plan for 2023-2026, EDPR aims to achieve a storage capacity of over 500 MW, with co-located assets and stand-alone assets such as this project. Besides the projects in the UK which amount 100 MW, EDPR also has nearly 200 MW of contracted storage capacity in North America and over 4 MW under construction in the Asia-Pacific region.

The project will play a crucial role in the UK's energy landscape, providing essential storage capacity to accommodate the increasing integration of renewable energy sources into the grid. It underscores ILI’s reputation as a leader in the clean energy sector in the development and deployment of large-scale energy storage projects.