• Masdar’s 35MW/70MWh Rochdale battery project has begun commercial operations, with capacity to supply 35,000 homes per day.
• The project forms part of Masdar’s £1 billion ($1.36 billion) UK battery storage program, targeting a 3GWh project pipeline.
• The portfolio supports the UK’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which targets up to 27GW of battery storage by the end of the decade.

Rochdale battery project enters commercial operations

Masdar has started commercial operations at its second UK battery energy storage system, expanding its investment in infrastructure designed to strengthen grid reliability and renewable energy integration.

The 35MW/70MWh facility in Rochdale can provide enough electricity for 35,000 homes per day. That calculation is based on two charging and discharging cycles each day.

The plant can also respond to changes in electricity supply and demand within milliseconds. This allows it to provide balancing services that help the grid operator maintain network stability.

Battery storage is becoming more important as the UK adds greater volumes of intermittent wind and solar generation. Storage facilities can absorb excess electricity during periods of low demand and release it when demand rises.

For policymakers and energy investors, that flexibility is becoming central to managing the transition toward a lower-carbon power system.

£1 billion UK battery storage program expands

The Rochdale project sits within Masdar’s planned £1 billion investment in UK battery storage infrastructure.

Masdar acquired Arlington Energy in 2022 and subsequently committed to developing a 3GWh pipeline of storage projects across the country. The portfolio is intended to support renewable integration while improving grid resilience and potentially reducing consumer energy costs.

The investment also aligns with the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. The policy framework targets up to 27GW of battery storage capacity by the end of the decade.

Husain Al Meer, Executive Director, Global Offshore Wind & UK, Masdar said: “Beginning commercial operations at our Rochdale facility is a key milestone in our £1 billion commitment to UK battery storage. As electricity demand grows and renewable generation continues to expand, battery storage is becoming an increasingly vital component of maintaining a secure, reliable and affordable electricity network. Our continuing rollout of our £1 billion pipeline reflects Masdar’s long-term commitment to the UK and we are proud to be supporting the country’s energy security by delivering the flexible infrastructure needed to enable greater renewable energy deployment.”

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Rochdale follows Masdar’s 20MW/40MWh Welkin Road project in Stockport, which entered commercial operations last December.

The company is also developing projects in Chesterfield and Cardiff. Together, those facilities will provide another 150MW/300MWh of capacity.

Financing for the four projects was completed last month. Masdar secured up to £97 million ($132 million) from SMBC and ING to support the portfolio.

Storage becomes core energy infrastructure

The expansion comes as electricity systems face new pressures from electrification, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.

For investors, battery storage increasingly sits at the intersection of energy security, decarbonisation and grid investment. Revenue opportunities can include balancing services, wholesale market participation and other flexibility mechanisms.

Masdar is also expanding battery storage outside the UK. Last October, the company broke ground in Abu Dhabi on a large-scale solar and storage project combining 5.2GW of solar capacity with a 19GWh battery system.

The development is designed to deliver up to 1GW of continuous baseload power each day.

Masdar’s broader UK exposure also includes offshore wind. Its portfolio includes a €5.2 billion ($6.07 billion) co-investment with Iberdrola in the 1.4GW East Anglia THREE offshore wind project. The company is also developing the 3GW Dogger Bank South project with RWE.

Globally, Masdar has built a renewable energy portfolio exceeding 65GW across solar, wind, offshore wind, storage and hybrid technologies. It is targeting 100GW of energy capacity by 2030.

For the UK, the Rochdale facility adds another piece of flexible infrastructure needed to support a more renewable-heavy grid. As storage capacity expands, financing, grid access and market design will determine how quickly these projects translate into lower-carbon and more resilient electricity systems.