• Masdar has begun commercial operations at a 20MW battery storage facility in Stockport, marking the first completed project under its £1 billion ($1.27 Billion) UK battery investment.
• Two additional projects in Chesterfield and Cardiff will add 150MW of capacity, supporting the UK government’s target of up to 27GW of battery storage by 2030.
• The developments strengthen grid stability, enable higher renewable penetration, and reinforce the UK’s strategy to cut power system emissions while protecting energy security.

Stockport Opens as First Milestone in UK Battery Rollout

Commercial operations have begun at Masdar’s battery energy storage system facility on Welkin Road, a 20 megawatt and 40 megawatt hour installation designed to support the UK’s fast changing electricity system. The project is the first to reach completion since Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC, Masdar, acquired UK-based developer Arlington Energy and committed £1 billion to a large-scale battery storage buildout across the country.

Construction at the Stockport site began in May 2024. The facility is capable of storing enough electricity to supply around 20,000 homes for more than two hours, providing rapid response capacity to smooth supply and demand fluctuations on the grid. As renewables take on a larger share of UK power generation, battery storage has become essential infrastructure rather than a complementary add-on.

Expansion Plans in Chesterfield and Cardiff

Alongside the Stockport launch, Masdar confirmed it will develop two further battery energy storage projects in Chesterfield and Cardiff. Together, the sites will add 150MW of capacity and 300MWh of storage. Combined, the facilities are expected to supply enough electricity to power more than 35,000 homes for a full day.

The projects form part of a wider 3 gigawatt hour battery pipeline that Masdar is advancing across the UK. The investment aligns closely with the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which sets a target of up to 27GW of battery storage by the end of the decade to support a low carbon, renewables heavy power system.

Husain Al Meer, Masdar Director for Global Offshore Wind and the 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.”

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Grid Stability, Security and Consumer Impact

Battery energy storage systems play a central role in balancing intermittent renewable generation by absorbing electricity during periods of low demand and releasing it when demand peaks. This flexibility improves grid resilience, reduces reliance on fossil fuel peaking plants, and helps limit price volatility for consumers.

Masdar says its UK battery assets are being built to international safety and security standards. The projects include advanced fire detection and suppression systems, 24-hour CCTV monitoring, and local response capabilities, reflecting the growing scrutiny on battery safety as deployment accelerates.

Brownfield Development and Community Benefits

All three UK battery projects are located on previously developed industrial land, reinforcing the government’s preference for avoiding greenfield development. The Stockport facility sits on a brownfield site where construction included biodiversity enhancements such as bird and bat boxes, control of Japanese knotweed, and the planting of native flora. A community fund is also being established to support local initiatives.

In Chesterfield, the Calow Green site was formerly used for coal mining. Masdar plans to repurpose the land into a clean energy and storage hub while respecting its agricultural setting. The Cardiff project on Ipswich Road will similarly reuse industrial land and existing infrastructure, limiting environmental disruption while accelerating delivery timelines.

Global Context and Strategic Signal

Masdar’s UK battery push sits within a broader global storage strategy. In October, the company broke ground in Abu Dhabi on what it describes as the world’s first gigascale 24 hour solar and battery storage project, combining 5.2GW of solar with a 19GWh battery system to deliver up to 1GW of baseload power each day.

For UK policymakers, utilities, and investors, the Stockport launch offers a practical signal that large scale battery deployment is moving from planning into delivery. As renewable capacity expands and coal exits the system entirely, grid scale storage is becoming a cornerstone of energy security, not a discretionary investment. Masdar’s growing footprint places it squarely within that transition, both as a capital provider and a long term system operator.

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