Blackhillock Launches: UK’s First Grid-Forming Battery
Zenobē’s Blackhillock site in Scotland, now Europe’s largest battery and the UK’s first grid forming battery, has begun commercial operation to support grid stability and reduce wasted wind power.
Staff Writer 18th Feb 2026
Photo: Zenobē)
Zenobē, which describes itself as the “UK’s leading owner and operator of grid-scale batteries on the GB transmission network”, has announced that Europe’s largest battery site (pictured), located in Blackhillock, Scotland, has begun commercial operation. It is also the first battery in the UK to provide grid forming, and among the first worldwide.
Grid forming batteries provide short circuit level and synthetic inertia via advanced power electronics by mimicking the behaviour of traditional generators. They set their own frequency and voltage, unlike traditional batteries.
The Blackhillock site is launching in two phases. Phase 1, 200 MW, has gone live and will be followed by a further 100 MW in 2026, making a total of 300MW/600MWh.
Deliberately located between Inverness and Aberdeen to address grid congestion arising from the Viking (443 MW), Moray East (950 MW) and Beatrice (588 MW) offshore wind farms, the project is expected to significantly reduce the amount of wasted wind generated electricity and, according Zenobē, can be seen as an important milestone on the way to achieving the UK government’s mission to have a net zero power grid by 2030.
Battery storage plays a critical role in the UK’s net zero transition, as it does elsewhere, with over 22 GW required as a minimum to deliver the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 plan.
In addition to being Europe’s largest battery, the Blackhillock site will provide stability services to the National Energy System Operator (NESO), “to make renewable power more secure and reliable,” says Zenobē.
The battery technology has been provided by Wärtsilä, which is supplying its Quantum energy storage system plus GEMS Digital Energy Platform with SMA grid forming inverters, “enabling a resilient power system with high power quality.”
GEMS eases network constraints by importing electricity at times of peak renewable generation, says Wärtsilä, and ”its data-based intelligence will enable Zenobē to participate in the most valuable UK electricity markets.”
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) delivered the grid connection for Blackhillock.
EDF Wholesale Market Services is the route to market provider for the site, via its trading platform, Powershift. This platform, combined with Zenobē’s battery optimisation expertise, will build more flexibility into the grid, essential to reducing wind curtailment and accelerating the decarbonisation of the network, says Zenobē.
By integrating this technology, Blackhillock will “enhance the reliability of the UK’s growing renewable power system and help reduce consumer bills nationwide.” The site is expected to save consumers £172 million over the next 15 years. It will also prevent approximately 2.6 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere during this period by enabling the accommodation of more wind power on the transmission network.
The new battery system adds over 30% to the capacity of operational battery storage in Scotland. It is estimated that its capacity will be equivalent to powering >3.1 million homes for one hour, Zenobē calculates.
To support the construction of the 200 MW/400 MWh Phase 1 of Blackhillock, Zenobē secured £101 million debt financing via a long-term debt facility from a club of five banks. The debt structure includes an “accordion facility” to debt finance to 100 MW, the second phase of the project.
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