London-based Arsenal Football Club has becomes the first UK football club to install significant energy storage, after unveiling a lithium-ion battery system that will store enough energy to power Emirates Stadium for the duration of a match.
The battery at the 60,000-seater stadium will be used to avoid peak energy prices, and will store renewably generated electricity from Octopus Energy, with whom Arsenal has been in partnership since April 2016.
Aside from football, the 2MW/2.5MWh battery— one of the largest at a sports ground worldwide— will provide flexible capacity to help the UK electricity network to accommodate more renewable generation and support the growth of clean technologies.
The battery system has been developed by UK-based Pivot Power and funded with investment from Downing LLP. A further 1MW/1.2MWh of storage will be added in summer 2019.
“This project scores the hat-trick of tacking peak prices and storing clean energy, with the goal of selling back energy to the grid at peak times. A more flexible energy grid could save the UK billions and this kind of cutting-edge technology shows companies the potential of being part of the beautiful game and smarter energy systems”, commented Claire Perry, Minister for Energy and Clean Growth.
The battery will be automatically traded and optimised by London-based energy management services specialist Open Energi. A firm frequency response contract with National Grid has been secured.