Abu Dhabi's Masdar has brought its second battery energy storage facility in the United Kingdom into commercial operation, with the 35-megawatt/70-megawatt-hour plant in Rochdale beginning operations on August 24, 2026.

The launch marks another step forward in the company's pledged USD 1.36 billion investment program aimed at building one of the largest battery storage pipelines in the country.

Rochdale Plant Capabilities and Grid Role

The Rochdale facility has a capacity of 35MW and 70MWh, with the company stating it can provide enough clean power for 35,000 homes per day based on two charging and discharging cycles.

Beyond its generating role, the plant has been designed to respond to fluctuations in electricity supply and demand within milliseconds, a capability Masdar says is essential for maintaining a secure and reliable electricity network.

The facility will provide balancing services to the grid operator, storing energy during periods of low demand and releasing it at peak times. Masdar states that this function is critical to integrating renewable energy sources into modern electricity networks and that improved grid flexibility contributes to lowering consumer bills and reducing carbon emissions.

The Rochdale project has been built to international safety and security standards, incorporating fire detection and suppression systems, 24-hour CCTV monitoring, and local response capability.

Masdar also noted that its UK battery storage projects are being developed in consultation with local stakeholders, with the aim of delivering positive outcomes for communities alongside national economic benefits.

Following the Stockport Project and Pipeline Progress

The Rochdale plant is the second operational battery storage facility Masdar has brought online in the UK. The company's first, a 20MW/40MWh project located on Welkin Road in Stockport, began commercial operations last December. Together, the two plants represent the early stages of what Masdar describes as a 3-gigawatt-hour pipeline of battery storage projects across the country.

Masdar is currently developing two further projects, located in Chesterfield and Cardiff, which will carry a combined capacity of 150MW/300MWh. Project financing for all four assets was completed last month, with Masdar securing up to USD 132.2 million from lenders SMBC and ING.

Husain Al Meer, Executive Director for Global Offshore Wind and UK at Masdar, said the Rochdale milestone reflected the company's long-term commitment to the UK.

He stated that as electricity demand grows and renewable generation expands, battery storage is becoming an increasingly vital component of maintaining a secure, reliable, and affordable electricity network.

Alignment With UK Government Targets

Masdar's investment program is aligned with the UK government's Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which is targeting the deployment of up to 27 gigawatts of battery storage capacity by the end of the decade.

Masdar's acquisition of Arlington Energy in 2022 was the foundation for its commitment to developing the 3GWh storage pipeline, which the company describes as one of the largest in the UK.

The company states that battery storage will play a vital role in supporting the integration of renewables into the UK's energy mix and in enhancing grid stability, with the broader goal of lowering consumer bills over time.

Masdar's Wider UK Energy Presence

Beyond battery storage, Masdar holds a significant position in the UK's offshore wind sector. The company has made a co-investment of 6.07 billion with Iberdrola in the East Anglia THREE offshore wind facility, a 1.4-gigawatt project that will power the equivalent of 1.3 million homes. Masdar is also developing the 3-gigawatt Dogger Bank South offshore wind farm in partnership with RWE.

These offshore wind commitments, combined with the battery storage investment program, position Masdar as one of the more active international clean energy investors operating in the UK market.

Global Battery Storage Ambitions

Masdar's UK activity sits within a broader global push in battery storage. Last October, the company broke ground in Abu Dhabi on what it described as the world's first gigascale 24-hour solar and battery storage project.

That development will combine a 5.2-gigawatt solar plant with a 19GWh battery storage system, designed to deliver up to 1 gigawatt of baseload power every day.

The company states it has built one of the world's fastest-growing renewable energy portfolios, with more than 65 gigawatts of capacity across established and high-growth markets.

Masdar's technology portfolio spans solar, onshore wind, offshore wind, battery storage, and hybrid solutions. The company has set a target of reaching 100 gigawatts of energy capacity by 2030.

Powering Smarter Decisions Across the United Kingdom's Energy Infrastructure

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