Zenobē Launches Europe’s Largest Battery with EDF Wholesale Market Services as Optimiser

EDF Wholesale Market Services is proud to be the optimiser of Europe’s largest grid-scale battery, as Zenobē announces the commercial launch of its Blackhillock battery storage site in Scotland. This milestone marks a major step forward in the UK’s transition to a low-carbon future, supporting a more flexible, resilient, and decarbonised energy system.

Located between Inverness and Aberdeen, the Blackhillock battery site is being launched in two phases. Phase 1, comprising 200MW, is now live, with a further 100MW set to follow in 2026, bringing the total capacity to 300MW/600MWh. This capacity is equivalent to powering over 3.1 million homes for two hours—more than all the households in Scotland combined.

EDF Wholesale Market Services, through its market-leading trading platform, Powershift, will optimise the Blackhillock battery, ensuring it plays a crucial role in balancing supply and demand on the grid. Powershift’s advanced optimisation capabilities will help reduce wind curtailment and maximise the value of stored renewable energy, supporting the UK’s net zero ambitions.

Driving a More Flexible, Resilient Grid

With the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 Plan calling for at least 22GW of battery storage to enable a zero-carbon grid, Blackhillock represents a significant leap towards this goal. The site is designed to ease grid congestion caused by major offshore wind farms, including Viking (443 MW), Moray East (950 MW), and Beatrice (588 MW), ensuring clean energy is stored and used efficiently.

EDF’s optimisation expertise will ensure that Blackhillock delivers maximum value to the grid, providing essential flexibility services. By storing surplus renewable power and deploying it when needed, the battery will help stabilise the grid, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering costs for consumers. Over the next 15 years, Blackhillock is expected to save consumers more than £170 million and prevent 2.6 million tonnes of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere.

A World-First in Grid Stability

In addition to being Europe’s largest battery, Blackhillock is also the world’s first transmission-connected battery to deliver Stability Services to the National Energy System Operator (NESO). These services include short-circuit level and inertia, both essential to maintaining a reliable electricity network as fossil fuel plants phase out.

Commenting on this milestone, Christopher Dalley, Wholesale Market Services Director at EDF, said:

“Zenobē's Blackhillock project is a testament to the transformative potential of battery storage in supporting a more flexible and decarbonised energy system. We are delighted to be the optimiser for this landmark project, combining our cutting-edge Powershift platform with Zenobē’s pioneering battery storage technology.

Together, we’re reducing wind curtailment, optimising renewable energy usage, and delivering greater resilience to the UK’s energy grid. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in supporting the UK’s net zero ambitions, benefiting both consumers and the environment.”

Cutting-Edge Technology and Collaboration

The Blackhillock project has been made possible through the collaboration of industry leaders:

• Wärtsilä supplied its Quantum energy storage systems and GEMS Digital Energy Platform, enabling remote monitoring and optimisation of the site.
• SMA provided grid-forming technology and studies, along with 62 Medium Voltage Stations, delivering 333MWs of inertia and 84 MVA of short circuit level (SCL).
• Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) delivered the critical grid connection to integrate the battery into the UK’s transmission network.

Fintan Slye, CEO of the National Energy System Operator, added:

“Battery storage is critical to the future reliability and affordability of the UK grid. The delivery of this grid-forming battery brings us a step closer to achieving zero carbon operation of Great Britain's national electricity network.”

Energy Minister Michael Shanks also highlighted the significance of the project:

“The Blackhillock battery site is the latest milestone in delivering our mission to become a clean energy superpower. Battery storage like this helps us store our clean, surplus energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and protecting households from future energy shocks.”

Leading the Net Zero Transition

EDF Wholesale Market Services’ role as the optimiser of the Blackhillock battery reaffirms its commitment to enabling a cleaner, more flexible energy system. By integrating world-class battery storage technology with its market-leading trading expertise, EDF is helping to accelerate the UK’s transition to net zero while delivering economic and environmental benefits.

As Blackhillock begins its commercial operations, it marks a defining moment in the UK’s journey towards a fully decarbonised energy grid—one that EDF is proud to play a leading role in shaping.