Masdar has announced the acquisition of UK-based battery energy storage system (BESS) developer, Arlington Energy. The move will allow Masdar to expand its presence in the UK and the European renewable energy market and support other countries’ Net Zero objectives.
Based in London, Arlington Energy is said to have a proven record in developing, building, operating, and financing flexible energy solutions, having taken over 170MW of assets through to operation in the past two years, the statement explained.
Masdar’s acquisition of Arlington Energy will enable the development, construction, operational management, and financing of BESS projects under one Masdar-Arlington platform.
In August 2022, NineDot launched a Tesla Megapack-based 12.32MWh energy storage site in New York City and, later in the month, Gujarat called for tenders for a 1,000MWh BESS project.
“Masdar and Arlington Energy share a long-standing belief that greater investment in energy storage is critical if countries are to expand their renewable energy portfolios and achieve their Net Zero ambitions. By working together, we will be able to provide a more resilient and flexible energy resource, helping to accelerate the UK and other European countries’ clean energy transitions, and supporting our efforts in expanding our offshore wind and broader renewables portfolio,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.
Alongside the Arlington acquisition, Masdar intends to increase its investment in offshore wind and other renewables projects in new and existing markets, including the UK. Masdar is already a leading investor in the UK’s offshore wind sector, with stakes in London Array, one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms; the Dudgeon offshore wind farm off the coast of Norfolk; and Hywind Scotland, the world’s first commercial-scale floating wind farm.
Europe could need as much as 200GW of storage capacity by 2030, if it is to meet its renewable energy targets, according to a recent industry report. The UK alone may need as much as 50GW of storage capacity by 2050, to achieve its target of Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050, according to the National Grid. BESS solutions provide flexible energy to the grid, helping to overcome renewables’ intermittency challenges, and allowing energy to be released during peak demand, helping to ensure system security while keeping consumer costs down, the firm said.
In September 2022, Masdar and RWE joined forces in the global wind-power markets.
Matthew Clare, Co-founder and Director of Arlington Energy stated, “Partnering with Masdar allows us to accelerate our BESS rollout in the UK and will make us the leading platform for energy storage. With Arlington’s experience and expertise in the procurement, construction and operational management of BESS, and Masdar’s global capabilities in renewable energy, combining forces is a natural progression.”
He concluded, “This partnership creates a business with huge potential, immediately capable of delivering at scale domestically, and in other markets in the future, as more nations join the UAE and UK in setting net-zero targets.”