NatPower UK has reached an agreement with Sembcorp Utilities (UK) Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Energy UK, to develop a £1 billion battery storage project at Wilton International in Redcar, according to the company's release.
The Teesside GigaPark will house a 1GW / 8GWh lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), described as one of the UK’s largest capacity and longest-duration projects, and the first to combine grid-scale storage with dedicated maritime electrification infrastructure.
The project will be financed privately, without subsidies or government contracts. It will start with four hours’ storage capacity (4GWh), with the potential to expand to eight hours (8GWh). Most existing UK BESS projects operate at one to two hours of storage.
NatPower UK and NatPower Marine CEO Stefano D.M. Sommadossi said: “Teesside, our most advanced GigaPark, located at Wilton International, will be the blueprint for how we combine high-capacity renewable energy storage with the electrification of ports and industry. Within five years, we can transform one of the UK’s most important industrial hubs into a net-zero economic powerhouse and then replicate this model in ports across the globe.”
The project holds a 1GW connection agreement with the National Energy System Operator for a 400kV connection to National Grid’s substation. It is scheduled to connect by 2028. The infrastructure is being designed to provide shore power to ships at berth (“cold ironing”) and to recharge electric propulsion systems.
Once operational, the company will contribute up to £2 million annually to a community benefit fund managed by Evogea. Training partnerships with local colleges and potential collaborations with universities are under discussion, alongside supply chain opportunities for regional businesses.
NatPower UK is the British subsidiary of NatPower, a privately held energy company focused on large-scale renewable energy projects and grid-scale battery storage. The company develops energy infrastructure projects aimed at integrating renewable generation into national grids and supporting electrification of transport and industry.
Sembcorp Utilities (UK) Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Energy UK, itself part of Sembcorp Industries, a Singapore-based energy and urban development group. Sembcorp Utilities operates energy and utilities assets in the UK, including the Wilton International site in Redcar, which hosts energy infrastructure and industrial facilities.