Foresight fund buys 107 MW of UK battery projects from Clearstone

May 25 (Renewables Now) - British renewables developer Clearstone Energy has offloaded a 107-MW portfolio of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the South of England to Foresight Energy Infrastructure Partners for an undisclosed sum.

The divested portfolio consists of two projects, both with an expected grid-connection in 2024, the vendor said on Wednesday. Once commissioned, the facilities will be capable of storing enough electricity to power 215,000 homes for up to two hours, supporting the grid in peak demand periods and improving its resilience and stability.

The 49.5-MW Sundon battery will be installed near Luton, 25 miles north of London, while the 57-MW Warley facility will be located at Upminster, on the outskirts of London. Both of them will be built on land owned by National Grid in proximity to substations on its high-voltage transmission network.

“These sites and the ones that follow them will enable the UK to take the next step on its journey to a cleaner, lower cost and more secure energy system,” said Ben Pratt, founder of Clearstone Energy.

Foresight Energy Infrastructure is the flagship private markets energy transition fund of Foresight Group.