Europe’s Joint-Largest BESS energised in Buckinghamshire

A significant step towards securing our energy future and meeting the UK’s landmark commitment to decarbonise electrical systems by 2035 was taken this month by the successful energisation of Bumpers, the joint-largest Battery Energy Storage System in Europe by MWh. Developed by Harmony Energy, the site utilises fifty-six Tesla Lithium-Ion 2XL Megapacks, connected to twenty-eight 4200kVA 33kV/480V-480V Wilson T2 Ecotrans Large Distribution Transformers, to produce a 99MW/198MWh BESS, capable of powering over 300,000 homes for two hours.

The Buckinghamshire BESS’s energisation this month marks another successful collaboration between Harmony Energy and Wilson Power Solutions, meaning that the three largest operational BESS facilities in Europe (by MWh) utilise Wilson Power Solutions transformers following Pillswood BESS facility’s energisation in November 2022. For this project, Wilson Power Solutions designed, manufactured, and supplied their transformers in a moss-green finish, with the on-site facilities being reliably connected to power using two 150kVA 33kV/415V Wilson Auxiliary Transformers.

Peter Kavanagh, CEO of Harmony Energy, commented: “The success of our sites is only possible through the development of strong partnerships, and Wilson’s has been a valued partner throughout our growth. Their product innovation, engineering excellence and strong sense of social and environmental responsibility, underscores their team’s proficiency in addressing complex project demands and showcasing technical expertise.”

Surrounded by a 17.5MW Solar Photovoltaics Farm, Bumpers’ Tesla Megapacks and Wilson Power Solutions assets interact with the grid using Tesla’s Autobidder platform, a real-time trading and control platform that provides asset management and optimisation based on value. Crucially, this allows the facility to help balance the UK electricity grid whilst maximising revenue, further emphasising the role BESS plays in reducing the curtailment of renewable energy generation.

Erika Wilson, Managing Director of Wilson Power Solutions commented: “Battery energy storage systems are essential to unlocking our Net Zero potential, and getting the correct specification of transformer has never been more paramount. We’ve made significant investments to our facilities to elevate our transformer offer as we continue to look to partner with forward-thinking companies and developers such as Harmony Energy.”

With Bumpers BESS site online, Wilson Power Solutions has now supplied transformers to over 2.2GW/3.7GWh of Battery Energy Storage Projects across the country, aligning with the company’s vision statement to lead and accelerate the transition towards net zero in electrical networks.