Canadian Solar’s energy storage subsidiary e-STORAGE has secured a contract to deliver a 420MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) for Drax Group in the UK across two projects. The projects include a 60 MW/120 MWh AC installation in Marfleet, England, and a 150 MW/300 MWh AC installation in Neilston, Scotland. Battery installations at the Marfleet site will start in Q3 2026. Neilston project is expected to start installations in early 2027.

Additionally, the projects are being developed by Apatura, and have been acquired by Drax and will become part of Drax’s FlexGen portfolio. They also form part of Drax’s broader strategy to build a multi-gigawatt pipeline of battery storage assets. These will complement its portfolio of biomass, hydro, and flexible energy solutions.

Project Overview

The planned 420MWh Drax BESS in the UK will use e-STORAGE’s proprietary battery technology platform. They will most likely use its containerized solutions such as the SolBank which is designed for utility-scale deployments. Once construction is complete, the system will provide grid balancing services and enable storage of excess renewable energy. This is also while allowing for rapid dispatch during peak demand periods.

For Drax, the project also aligns with its transition from a traditional power generator into a flexible, low-carbon energy provider who is increasingly focused on storage and dispatchable renewable capacity.

Drax 420MWh Battery Energy Storage System Project and the UK BESS Landscape

The investment by Drax in UK battery storage reflects a broader shift within the kingdom’s energy market, where grid-scale BESS is becoming important to achieving national clean energy targets. The UK also has one of the largest BESS pipelines globally. It has around 6.8GW/10.5GWh installed or in development and a target of 25GW by 2030.

Furthermore, the 420MWh BESS project by Drax sits alongside a wave of major battery developments across in the UK including the 200MWh Lakeside Energy Park near the Drax Power Station 680MW and Carrington BESS in Greater Manchester. The latter will become one of Europe’s largest battery projects once completed. Additionally, Carrington is also home to the UK’s first commercial-scale liquid air energy storage (LAES) plant that is to start operations this year.

Additionally, this latest project complements Drax’s earlier initiatives. These include tolling agreements with Fidra Energy for a project at West Burton, expected online by 2029, and acquisitions aimed at building a gigawatt-scale battery portfolio. The company has also emphasized that flexible technologies such as BESS are key to ensuring a “secure, affordable and clean energy system” as renewable penetration increases.

e-STORAGE also continues to expand globally as a major integrator of utility-scale storage systems. This is while being backed by Canadian Solar, which has delivered gigawatt-hours of storage capacity worldwide.

Fact Sheet for Drax 420MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in the UK 

Locations: Marfleet, England and Neilston, Scotland

Capacity: 420MWh

Technology: Lithium-ion battery storage

Technology provider: e-STORAGE

Project type: Grid-scale battery energy storage

Primary function: Grid balancing, renewable integration, peak shaving

Status: Under development

Project Team Behind Construction of  Drax 420MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in the UK

• Drax Group as owner
• Apatura as developer
• e-STORAGE as battery storage supplier and integrator
• Canadian Solar as parent company