Blackhillock Battery Energy Storage System is a large grid-scale battery project developed and operated by Zenobē in northern Scotland. Phase 1 has an operational capacity of 200 MW / 400 MWh, with a second phase planned to expand the site to 300 MW / 600 MWh in 2026. Commissioned in March 2025, it became one of the largest battery storage facilities in Europe and accounts for a significant share of Scotland’s installed battery capacity.

Deliberately located between Inverness and Aberdeen, the project addresses grid congestion caused by nearby offshore wind farms including Viking (443 MW), Moray East (950 MW) and Beatrice (588 MW). The battery stores surplus renewable generation that would otherwise be curtailed and provides Stability Services to the GB electricity system using grid-forming inverters, making it the first transmission-connected battery in the world to deliver these services at scale.

Technology for the project was supplied by Wärtsilä, with route-to-market optimisation provided by EDF Energy via its Powershift platform. Zenobē estimates the site will reduce consumer energy costs and avoid millions of tonnes of CO₂ emissions over its lifetime, and has described Blackhillock as a key milestone in supporting the UK government’s objective of achieving a net-zero electricity system by 2030.