Average reading time for this story is 2 minutes
Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV), a part of Abdul Latif Jamel Energy, one of the most prominent renewable energy companies in the world, and Harmony Energy, a UK developer, announced the start of construction on Clay Tye. This is the largest storage development project in the world. It will import batteries from the United Kingdom in accordance with its mission of contributing to the decarbonisation and improvement of Britain’s energy system.
Clay Tye is located in Essex. It will have a total power output of 99MW/198MWh. This makes it the largest construction project of its type in the UK. Clay Tye is following in the footsteps of the FRV and Harmony Energy battery storage facility located in West Sussex in Contego. This facility has a total capacity of 34 MW / 68 MWh. The completion of the battery storage project of FRV, Holes Bay has a maximum capacity of 7.5 MW / 15.3 MWh. This project is part of FRV’s long-term investment plan for energy storage projects in countries like Australia, Spain, Mexico and Chile.
Clay Tye uses 52 Tesla Megapack lithium-ion batteries and Tesla’s Autobidder AI software to share energy capacity and manage projects efficiently. The Megapack batteries are able to store 198 MWh of energy and can be connected to the UK Power Networks distribution system. This allows for energy from renewable sources to remain stored and provides flexibility during peak hours to the United Kingdom’s national network.
“Clay Tye will be a significant milestone in our growth plan for the UK energy storage market. This BESS strengthens our long-term sustainability and market leadership. FRV is able to continue its development in the future asset management in the country, which includes construction, commercial operation, and development phases.” Stated Philip Hernandez, General Director for Engineering of FRV and FRVX.
Peter Kavanagh, the CEO of Harmony Energy commented, “This is an important milestone in our ongoing growth and we are thrilled to be working with FRV again. Clay Tye took 6 years to reach this point. It is the UK’s largest project of its type and will help ensure future energy security while also supporting decarbonisation of our grid.”
Fady Jamel, Vice President and Deputy President, Abdul Latif Jameel stated that, We are always looking for ways to make a difference and lead the way to a more sustainable future. Today, we are joining Harmony Energy in the groundbreaking of Clay Tye. This is a demonstration of our commitment to address climate change in a tangible way. We have always considered the energy transition a top priority. This is why we work closely together with the right partners to create a more sustainable, affordable, and secure energy system.
“We are proud that we have begun construction of one of the UK’s largest battery storage facilities per MWh. This will help contribute to decarbonization in this country” Said David Menendez (Director of FV-X)
After closing a Series B fundraising of 15 million Australian dollars, FRV-X, the innovation and entrepreneurship division at FRV, became the main investor in Evergen. Evergen, a leader in renewable energy software, optimizes residential, commercial and utility battery systems. These batteries are then organized in fleets, which allow network operators, retailers, or other users to use the systems as virtual power plants (VPPs).
