Statera acquires 1360 MWh battery project in north-west England

UK-based developer Statera Energy has acquired a 680 MW/1360 MWh battery energy storage project in Greater Manchester from Carlton Power. Located at Trafford Low Carbon Energy Park, Carrington Storage is expected to become one of the largest of its kind in Europe once fully energised in 2026.

The 12-hectare Trafford Low Carbon Energy Park is a brownfield site which was home to the Carrington coal-fired power station until 1991. Under Carlton Power’s stewardship, the site has seen the construction of a gas-fired power station (in operation since 2016 and owned by ESB) and an agreement is in place for Highview Power to build a £300m liquid air energy storage (LAES) project. 

Carlton Power secured planning consent in 2023 for up to approximately 2 GW of battery storage capacity on the Trafford Low Carbon Energy Park.

In addition, the independent infrastructure developer secured planning consent in 2022 to build a green hydrogen production facility of up to 200 MW on the site. The first phase of the Trafford Green Hydrogen facility – a 15 MW scheme – has secured a financial support contract from the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero and is targeted to enter operation within the next two years.

“Our agreement with Statera Energy is a further step in the development of the Trafford Low Carbon Energy Park.  Trafford is becoming a beacon for low carbon energy in the North West of England, helping to strengthen the security and resilience of the energy system in the region and further support the region’s energy transition,” said Keith Clarke, Carlton Power’s CEO.

At 680 MW, the project is more than twice the size of Statera’s flagship 300 MW/600 MWh Thurrock Storage project, which is co-located with a 450 MW gas-fired plant near London. This battery project secured debt financing in November 2024 and only a month later a ten-year voltage services contract in a tender run by the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

Statera’s latest project has already been approved by Trafford Council and is its largest consented battery storage project to date. The company was founded in 2016 and has over 1 GW of UK projects operational or in construction, and as of the latest announcement – a consented battery storage pipeline of 1370 MW.