Masdar Advances UK Battery Storage Drive With First Project In Stockport

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar has begun commercial operations at a new battery energy storage system in Stockport and confirmed two further UK schemes in Cardiff and Chesterfield, marking the first delivery under Masdar’s £1 billion commitment to invest in UK battery energy storage projects.

The Stockport facility, on Welkin Road, has a rated capacity of 20 megawatts and 40 megawatt-hours, allowing it to store enough low-carbon electricity to supply 20,000 homes for more than two hours. Construction on the project started in May 2024, moving from build phase to commercial operation within one year.

The Cardiff and Chesterfield battery energy storage schemes will together offer 150MW of power and 300MWh of storage, which Masdar says will be capable of powering over 35,000 UK homes for a full day, expanding the company’s operational and development portfolio across the country.

Masdar entered the UK battery storage market at scale after acquiring Arlington Energy in 2022, then pledged £1 billion to support a 3 gigawatt-hours pipeline of BESS projects. This investment forms part of Masdar’s wider support for the UK’s energy transition, which is aligned with national clean power targets.

The UK government aims to install as much as 27GW of battery storage by 2030 through its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. Masdar’s growing BESS portfolio, including Stockport, Cardiff and Chesterfield, contributes to this objective by adding flexible capacity that can support greater deployment of renewable generation.

Husain Al Meer, Masdar Director, Global Offshore Wind & UK, said, "Today’s announcements demonstrate that we are accelerating progress towards delivering on our £1 billion pipeline. BESS is critical to helping the UK to transform its energy systems, unlock more renewables deployment, and bring tangible benefits to consumers, businesses, and local communities. Masdar is proud to be at the forefront of this sector in the UK and beyond."

Masdar BESS and UK battery energy storage technical and community features

Battery energy storage systems help balance variable output from wind and solar by absorbing electricity when demand is low and discharging when consumption rises. This operating model improves grid stability and energy security, aiding the integration of renewable energy while helping to limit carbon emissions and ease cost pressures on end users.

Masdar designs its BESS facilities to comply with international safety and security standards, using advanced fire detection and suppression equipment alongside constant CCTV surveillance and local response arrangements, aiming to manage operational risks while maintaining reliable performance for grid operators and communities.

The company states that its UK BESS projects are developed in consultation with nearby residents, landowners and authorities, seeking to ensure local benefits in addition to national energy gains. Engagement aims to align project design with community expectations and to highlight economic opportunities linked to construction and long-term operation.

The Welkin Road plant occupies a previously developed brownfield site in Stockport. During construction, Masdar introduced bird and bat boxes, controlled invasive Japanese knotweed and planted native vegetation to enhance biodiversity. A community fund is also being set up to provide financial support for local initiatives and organisations close to the site.

The Chesterfield battery project, located in Calow Green, will be built on land once used for coal mining. Masdar plans to retain the area’s agricultural setting while converting disturbed ground into an energy storage hub, demonstrating how former industrial land can host new low-carbon infrastructure without displacing productive farmland.

The Cardiff installation is planned for an industrial brownfield plot on Ipswich Road, using an under-used site with existing utility links and access. This approach avoids the need to develop new greenfield areas, while benefitting from already established connections to local infrastructure and transport routes.

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Beyond the UK, Masdar is increasing its battery storage activities in other markets. In October, the company started construction in Abu Dhabi on what it describes as the world’s first gigascale 24/7 solar and battery storage project, pairing a 5.2GW solar plant with a 19GWh BESS to deliver up to 1GW baseload each day.

Masdar also maintains a large UK offshore wind presence, including a €5.2 billion co-investment with Iberdrola in the 1.4GW East Anglia THREE project, expected to supply electricity to 1.3 million British homes, and the 3GW Dogger Bank South offshore wind farm currently being developed in partnership with RWE.

Together, the Stockport, Cardiff and Chesterfield BESS projects, alongside Masdar’s wider solar and offshore wind investments, underline the company’s role in expanding flexible capacity and renewable generation in the UK and Abu Dhabi, while reusing brownfield and former industrial sites for long-term energy infrastructure.

With inputs from WAM