The Carrington Storage project, led by UK company Statera Energy, has reached financial close and stands as one of the largest battery energy storage projects in the United Kingdom. With a capacity of 680MW/1360MWh, the facility will be built at Trafford Low Carbon Energy Park in Greater Manchester. Commissioning is scheduled for late 2026, and the installation will be able to power around 2.2 million homes for two hours.
A financial consortium involving seven institutions
The project brings together several key partners, including Lloyds, NatWest, Santander, Siemens Bank, SEB and Mizuho, as well as Norwegian energy company Statkraft. This lineup underscores institutional confidence in the growing role of large-scale storage systems in supporting grid balancing and reducing losses from surplus renewable generation.
Shanghai-based Envision Energy will provide the storage technology. The company will deliver a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) equipped with an artificial intelligence-based algorithmic model. The system is designed to optimise storage performance by adjusting in real time to grid conditions and actively participating in frequency and stability control mechanisms.
AI-driven operational control technology
Envision’s approach relies on a closed-loop system of “forecast – activation – arbitrage – self-learning,” enabling data-driven operation rather than human experience. According to the supplier, this model allows for maximised profitability while ensuring consistent energy performance. The implemented solution moves away from passive infrastructure to integrate digital components engineered for dynamic grid optimisation.
This project strengthens Statera Energy’s goal of exceeding 5GW of BESS capacity by 2030. The company’s Director of BESS and Flex Gen, Matt Arnold, welcomed the partnership with Envision, citing its track record on large-scale projects and strong technological expertise. Envision Energy, already active in the UK, France and Spain, sees this operation as a new milestone in consolidating its position in the European storage market.
