Foresight Group’s energy transition fund is investing in a long-duration energy storage project in Scotland.

Foresight Energy Infrastructure Partners (FEIP) has invested an undisclosed amount in a co-located pumped storage hydro (PSH) and wind project located at the disused 1,547-acre Glenmuckloch opencast coal mine in the south of Scotland.

The project involves the construction of a co-located 1,600MWh capacity PSH plant and a 33.6MW wind farm. The PSH plant will provide 8 hours of storage capacity.

FEIP said the investment will “enhance and aid the balancing of the UK power system enabling the integration of more renewable generation”. There have only been five plants like this constructed to date in the UK, it added.

Richard Thompson, partner at Foresight said: “Long duration energy storage has a critical role to play in the UK helping to reduce power prices for bill payers, enhancing security of supply and accelerating the road to net zero by enabling the integration of more renewables on the system.

“Foresight is delighted to be making its first long-duration energy storage investment in a project that will create such a long-lasting environmental legacy through the repurposing of a disused coal mine.”

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