EDF signs a market-leading solar and battery optimisation deal

• EDF will trade, optimise and offtake renewable energy from a combined 50MW of battery and 66MWp of solar co-located at Warley, UK. 
• The deal represents one of the UK’s largest combined hybrid offtake and optimisation agreements.
• Deployment of the battery and solar assets is part of a portfolio that DIF Infrastructure VII and ib vogt invested into in 2022 and secured a market leading portfolio financing earlier in 2023. 
• The deal reinforces EDF’s position as the largest buyer of power from independent renewable generators in GB.

EDF, Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity, together with DIF and ib vogt will trade, optimise and offtake the physical energy from solar and battery assets with a combined 116MWs sharing a transmission grid connection at Warley UK.

The deal will see EDF manage the co-located assets together in real time, making efficient use of the shared transmission level grid connection for the assets. The combined capacity of 116MW will make Warley one of the UK’s largest co-located sites once operational in 2024. Over a 10-year term, EDF will offtake the physical energy produced by the solar farm and optimise the 50 MW battery through its proprietary Powershift platform, leveraging EDF’s trading expertise to provide access to all revenue streams available to a battery, which currently includes the balancing mechanism, wholesale optimisation and ancillary services.

With EDF providing both offtake and battery optimisation services for this large co-located site, the deal represents one of the first of its kind in the UK. Through maximising the efficiency and performance of both assets, the partnership will provide the grid with essential flexibility, as well as a reliable and secure source of energy. 

EDF is a leading provider of route-to-market services for storage developers and investors and is committed to the long-term future of energy storage systems, with more than 1GB of battery optimisation contracts signed. 

EDF is also one of the UK’s largest investors in renewables, with more than 1GW of renewable generation in operation and over 5GW in construction and is the largest buyer of renewable power from independent renewable generators in GB.

Stuart Fenner, Director of Wholesale Market Service Commercial, at EDF said: “We are very pleased that we have been chosen to deliver trading, optimisation and offtake services for one of the UK’s largest co-located solar and battery sites. This unique deal exemplifies the innovation needed to address our energy challenges, which will help to secure green energy for the future and deliver on our commitment to help Britain achieve net zero.”