RWE: The UK’s Largest Battery Energy Storage Facility

As intermittent renewable energy continues to grow, the grid needs support.

RWE is set to build a 700 MWh capacity battery energy storage facility in Wales with 212 lithium-ion battery containers. 

Once operational, the battery could continually discharge up to 350 MW of electricity directly into the grid for two hours. 

Nikolaus Valerius, CEO of RWE Generation, says: “In a dynamic energy world with more and more renewable energy, there is an increasing need for mature technologies that can instantly support the electricity grid. 

“Battery storage systems are ideal for this because they are fast, efficient and competitive. 

“Our Pembroke Battery is our UK flagship storage project and will make an important contribution to stabilising the UK energy market by efficiently storing surplus energy and feeding it into the national grid in a targeted manner when required.”

RWE’s Pembroke Battery

The £200m (US$266m) battery project in South Wales would be located on a 5.1-hectare area to the south of Pembroke Power Station.

RWE aims for the battery to connect via underground cables to the grid at the adjacent National Grid substation. 

Once operational, the company says it would be capable of storing enough electricity to meet the average daily domestic electricity needs of more than 72,000 typical UK homes. 

This project is part of RWE’s ambitions for the Pembroke Net Zero Centre.

Eluned Morgan, First Minister for Wales, says: "This significant investment by RWE demonstrates Wales' central role in the UK’s transition to clean and renewable electricity. 

“The Pembroke Battery Storage facility will support our ambitions for a cleaner, more secure energy future while at the same time creating opportunities for good jobs and local communities across South Wales.

“Innovative projects like this showcase how Wales is leading the way in the development of renewable energy technology. This is helping to build a greener economy for generations to come."

Pembroke Net Zero Centre

The Pembroke Refinery came on stream in 1964 and Pembroke A Power Station began operating in 1968.

Pembroke A was closed in 1997 after almost 30 years of generating power from oil. 

Pembroke B, a combined cycle gas turbine power station, opened in 2012.

RWE’s vision for the Pembroke Net Zero Centre is five new projects across green hydrogen, battery storage, carbon capture and storage and CO₂ transport to continue the area’s history of energy generation sustainably. 

RWE Pembroke Battery Storage, the 700 MWh project, aims to be an enabling component of investment in renewable technologies. 

The green hydrogen project will aim to generate hydrogen from water using energy obtained from renewable sources, aiming to displace fossil fuel usage in local industry.

RWE also hopes to implement carbon capture and storage technologies to decarbonise existing operations at Pembroke Power Station.

Tom Glover, RWE’s UK Country Chair, says: "Wales has significant potential to lead the UK’s clean energy transition across wind, solar, storage, hydro and emerging technologies. 

“Despite the challenges facing energy projects everywhere, we see a government determined to unlock this opportunity for the benefit of communities across Wales – something we strongly support.”

Biodiversity at RWE’s Pembroke projects

Part of the Pembroke Battery project will involve implementing biodiversity measures around the operational power station site. 

These include meadow planting, native woodland and scrub planting and the development of a new large pond to support local wildlife. 

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), more than half of the world’s total GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature. 

Wildflower meadows can support pollinators like bees and butterflies alongside sequestering carbon and improving soil stability. 

Native woodland planting can provide shelter for birds and mammals, stabilise soil to reduce runoff and sequester carbon dioxide.