Zenobē Unveils Pioneering Battery Storage Project to Secure Shetland's Grid Resilience

Zenobē, the UK’s leading owner and operator of grid-scale battery storage, has announced plans for The Shetland Standby Project, a 68MW battery energy storage system (BESS) in Lerwick in Shetland.

This pioneering battery solution will be the crucial next step in connecting Shetland’s distribution network to the mainland grid and it will maintain security of supply for Shetland’s homes and businesses with reduced emissions. It will allow Lerwick Power Station to operate in standby only, thus cutting emissions and utilising more renewables on the islands.

The Shetland Standby Project is scheduled to go live in 2026 and will have advanced technology like grid-forming inverters and AC choppers. The use of an AC chopper is an innovative step toward strengthening the grid, as it helps absorb excess wind power during shutdowns.

Zenobē has secured c.£60m of non-recourse project finance debt from leading energy transition lenders Natwest, Lloyds and Siemens to fund the buildout of the project.

The site marks another milestone in Zenobē’s Scottish battery portfolio, which now includes over 1.2GW of capacity either live or under construction – supporting the UK Government’s mission to achieve a decarbonised power grid by 2030.

Following a regulated tender process, SSEN Distribution appointed Zenobē to provide this service due to their technical battery expertise, including launching Europe’s largest battery in March 2025 at Blackhillock, Moray in the north east of Scotland, the first in the world to provide stability services.

Commenting, Zenobē Founder Director James Basden said: “This project combines a battery with an AC chopper in Shetland to maintain security of supply, ensuring homes and businesses continue to receive the power they need in the event of a transmission system outage, while reducing emissions and utilising more renewables in Shetland.

“It marks an important step in the islands’ transition to a clean and resilient energy system and we’re proud to bring our battery expertise to a project that will reduce reliance on fossil fuels on the island network.”

Commenting, SSEN Distribution’s Project Manager Nathan Coote said: “We’ve long been committed to delivering a sustainable, whole system solution to decarbonise Shetland’s grid while maintaining security of supply.

“This standby project, once completed, will mean that communities in Shetland will have the reassurance that during a planned outage, or in the event of there being a temporary issue with Shetland’s connection to mainland Scotland, power to homes and businesses will be maintained seamlessly, with the battery providing supply while Lerwick Power Station is safely brought out of standby.”

Zenobē | https://www.zenobe.com/

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution | https://www.ssen.co.uk/