SSE Renewables' first battery energy storage system (BESS) project has hit a significant milestone as all 26 battery units have been installed at the Salisbury site in Wiltshire.

The 50MW project that is being delivered in partnership with Wartsila is scheduled to be fully operational in early 2024.

King Lifting carried out installations over a three-week period which involved carefully lowering down the battery units onto the concrete foundations in four modular sections.

SSE Renewables has now began construction work at its second BESS site which is a 150MW project in Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire and is due to be completed in 2024.

The business has also received planning consent for battery storage projects at Fiddler's Ferry (150MW) and Monk Fryston (320MW).

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Richard Cave-Bigley, SSE Renewables Solar & Battery Director, said: "It’s fantastic to have completed the installation of the battery units at Salisbury as we edge ever closer to energisation of our first battery storage project.

"The team have worked incredibly hard to get to this point and we are looking forward to the site going live so that we can start to provide flexible, renewable energy to the Grid."

Chris Lloyd, SSE Renewables Senior Project Manager at Salisbury said: "All 26 batteries have been successfully installed on site and it’s great to reach this milestone on the project.

"Our next step is to reach energisation which should later this year, with the site due to be fully operational at the beginning of next year.

"It's exciting to be involved on our first battery storage project and we are now very close to delivering SSE Renewables’ first live battery energy storage system project."

SSE has set out plans that could see the group invest up to £40 billion in low carbon decade technology until 2031/32, with a fully funded £18bn five-year investment plan to 2027. By undergoing these investments, SSE expects to create 1,000 new green jobs a year.