Pacific Green progresses 373.5MWh Sheaf Energy Park

First of 200+ containers installed at strategically significant site of former coal-fired power station

Global energy storage company Pacific Green has hit a number of key milestones in the delivery of its 249MW / 373.3MWh Sheaf Energy Park in Kent, England.

The large-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), currently under construction on behalf of asset owner Sosteneo, is located on brownfield land at the site of the former Richborough coal-fired power station.

In conjunction with Pacific Green and Sosteneo’s now operational 100MW / 100MWh Richborough Energy Park, Sheaf will form part of a strategically significant UK clean energy storage and transmission hub which hosts vital connections for the Nemo Link interconnector with Belgium and Thanet Offshore Wind Farm.

Site preparation and groundworks were recently completed on schedule. This work has paved the way for the successful arrival of the first of 200+ equipment containers. Following completion of Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Sheaf has now taken delivery of 68 containers and installed the first of 34 housing the project’s Power Conversion Systems (PCS) – a crucial component for dynamic coupling of the BESS with the grid.

These PCS containers will be followed by 135 liquid cooled, LFP chemistry battery containers, to be shipped from supplier and installed in a just-in-time approach prior to energization with the electrical grid.

Activity at the site is being conducted in line with robust safety and risk management protocols. Community engagement and biodiversity are also being prioritized, with key milestones including the appointment of a stakeholder engagement representative and biodiversity actions including removal of contaminated landfill left by the power station, rewilding of 10,000m2 of land, and ultimately achieving biodiversity net gain of no less than 14.91%.

Christo Hammes, Pacific Green’s Chief Operating Officer, said:

“Located at a former industrial site and with an excellent grid connection, Sheaf Energy Park will be a strategic asset for the UK’s energy grid – and in many ways is a true symbol of the energy transition. Coupled with Richborough Energy Park, this project embodies Pacific Green’s commitment to UK energy storage and is laying the foundation for future growth.”

“We are pleased with progress to date, having hit a number of our key development milestones, and we are committed to maintaining dialogue with our stakeholders and the community as we bring the project through to commissioning next year.”

Pacific Green was retained to oversee the construction, operations and maintenance of Sheaf Energy Park following its sale to Sosteneo Fund 1 Holdco S.à.r.l. in December 2023. SSE Energy Supply Limited (SSE) will be responsible for providing optimization services for a 10-year period from the start of commercial operations.