Pulse Clean Energy has launched a new battery storage facility in Aberdare at part of a £175m investment programme. The energy storage and grid stability specialist acquired what was original a diesel power energy generating plant at Hirwaun Industrial Estate for the purpose of converting it into a battery storage system.
With a peak output of 21.76 megawatts, the facility can power over 48,000 homes for two hours.
It marks Pulse Clean Energy’s first two-hour duration battery, which it said will play a key role in enhancing grid stability by storing excess energy generated during periods of high renewable output and releasing it back to the grid when demand is high.
This will help National Grid Electricity System Operator (NESO) to manage the grid.
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The Hirwaun project is the fifth of nine sites that Pulse Clean Energy is converting from diesel generating sites to grid-scale battery storage assets. The project represents a broader strategy to repurpose legacy infrastructure for cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions.
The exact level of investment at Aberdare has not been disclosed, but was financed using Pulse Clean Energy’s £175m credit facility with Santander, CIBC, Investec, and the National Wealth Fund, alongside equity from the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO).
Pulse Clean Energy was advised by Eversheds (legal), Everose (technical support), and Fichtner Consulting Engineers (technical through design and engineering).
Trevor Wills, chief executive of Pulse Clean Energy, said: “The successful commissioning of our first two-hour battery project is a milestone for Pulse Clean Energy as we continue to advance our strategy to support the integration of renewable energy solutions into the Ƶ’s grid. Battery storage is crucial to strengthening the resilience of the grid and enable growth in renewable generation.
“The environmental impact of this project is far-reaching and will deliver significant benefits to the local communities in Aberdare and its surrounding areas, strengthening energy security, and establishing a cleaner, more sustainable future for Wales.”
Habitat Energy is optimising Pulse’s five operational batteries. Now that the Hirwaun battery is operational, Habitat Energy is bringing its blend of expert human traders, algorithmic forecasting and automation, and deep asset intelligence, to maximise the asset’s performance and value across its lifetime.
Jon Doughty, managing director Ƶ, Habitat Energy, said: “We would like to congratulate Pulse Clean Energy on the successful energisation of their Hirwaun battery energy storage system
"We are proud to support their vision to repurpose fossil-fuelled assets and replace them with large-scale battery storage. Scaling energy storage capacity is critical to the Ƶ’s Clean Power 2030 commitment and we look forward to maximising the revenue potential of these assets for the long-term. "
