Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its fourth flagship fund, Copenhagen Infrastructure IV (CI IV), has taken final investment decision (FID) for Kilmarnock South, a 350 MW/1400 MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) located in south Ayrshire, southern Scotland.
Construction is now underway with commercial operations expected in 1Q28.
At four hours of duration, once operational, Kilmarnock South will be the longest-duration asset in CIP’s growing UK storage portfolio. The battery will store surplus Scottish wind power that would otherwise go unused and release it to the grid when the network has capacity.
Kilmarnock South is CIP’s fourth investment in transmission-connected BESS projects in Scotland, joining Coalburn 1, which reached commercial operations in August 2026, Coalburn 2, and Devilla. Upon full commissioning, CIP’s four Scottish BESS projects will collectively offer a total energy storage capacity of 4.4 GWh, the equivalent of almost a third of Great Britain’s operational BESS today.
CIP’s Scottish BESS portfolio (Coalburn 1, Coalburn 2, Devilla, and Kilmarnock South) will have total power capacity of 1.85 GW and 4.4 GWh of energy storage, equivalent to the electricity demand of over 5.5 million households, across a two-hour period.
Nischal Agarwal, Partner at CIP, commented: “CIP is pleased to add Kilmarnock South to our growing portfolio of UK battery projects, which, once commissioned, will be the longest-duration BESS asset in our UK fleet. Well-sited BESS projects provide valuable power system flexibility which enables the full benefits of low-cost renewables to be captured, strengthening security of supply and helping to both cut and stabilise energy bills for consumers.”
Michael Shanks, UK Energy Minister, added: “A former coal mine at Coalburn is now home to one of Europe’s largest batteries storing clean power, while at Kilmarnock South, a new £232 million battery will store even more Scottish wind power for when it’s needed most. Together, these projects mean less homegrown power going to waste, greater energy security, and lower bills over the long term.”
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