B&S Group is proud to have been a key supplier on the Lister Drive Greener Grid Park project in Liverpool, which aims to increase the supply of renewable energy to the UK grid.
B&S Group partnered with long standing client ABB on the £25 million project back in 2020, collaborating on the design, manufacturing and installation stages for two e-houses. The units contain the ABB variable speed drives and supporting systems. B&S also supplied the balance of plant enclosure containing MV switchgear and control systems for the main construction contractor, NRS.
The Lister Drive Greener Grid Park, pioneered by Statkraft, Europe’s biggest generator of renewable energy, is a stabilisation and decarbonisation scheme that will be pivotal in creating stability within the power grid, as the UK furthers its journey away from fossil-fuelled rotating power plants towards greener, renewable, energy. Approved by the Confederation of Business Industry (CBI), the Lister Drive Greener Grid Park project is projected to be fully operational by Autumn this year.
The site will mimic the spinning turbines of a traditional power station, providing the high inertia that grid operators rely on to maintain grid stability. As renewable power such as wind and solar power is fed into the structure, a 67 megavolt amps reactive synchronous condenser, coupled with a 40-tonne flywheel, provide the inertia required to ensure the network frequency and voltage are held stable. [Source: ABB.com]
B&S Group has the expertise and capabilities to support and accelerate the UK’s efforts in its journey towards a fully decarbonised grid. As an industry leader in integrated power solutions, B&S delivers full service design, engineering, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance solutions for the safe, efficient, and reliable management of renewable energy systems. From LV switchgear and COP metering to BESS and e-houses or power substations, B&S can provide a bespoke solution for every stage of the renewable energy process.
When asked about this significant project, Jason Wittenbrink, Managing Director of B&S Group, commented . ‘We are proud to have been involved in another great project with ABB supporting Statkraft in driving renewable energy in the UK. Lister Drive is a cutting-edge stabilisation solution utilising B&S Group E-house designs fitted out and tested to the clients needs at our Chester facility. The teams 32 years of switchgear, electrical and fabrication knowledge enable us to deliver such projects of which we are privileged to be involved’.
David Hughes, UK Managing Director for ABB, said: “We all feel a great sense of pride at what is being achieved at the Lister Drive Greener Grid Park. Our innovative technology, combined with the long-term vision of Statkraft, will play a crucial role in adding renewable generation as the UK transitions to a more sustainable future.”
Guy Nicholson, Head of Grid Integration UK at Statkraft, added: “Finding ways to stabilise the national grid without the use of fossil fuels is integral to the UK’s ability to achieve its zero carbon ambitions. Utilising ABB’s innovative technology, our Greener Grid Park will help provide a solution to this problem – maximising the amount of renewable energy being generated in Great Britain and distributed throughout Liverpool.”