Wärtsilä will supply a 68-MW battery energy storage system (BESS) in Lerwick, Shetland, under an engineered equipment delivery (EEQ) contract to Zenobe, the UK’s leading owner and operator of grid scale battery storage. Known as The Shetland Standby Project, the initiative will enhance energy security, reduce emissions, and support the islands’ transition to a cleaner, more resilient power system. The project is scheduled to go live in 2026. The order was booked in 2Q25.
The battery system will enable the Lerwick Power Station to move into a standby role, cutting fossil fuel use and helping integrate more renewable energy from Shetland’s abundant wind resources. In the event of an outage or planned maintenance on the transmission line to mainland Scotland, the BESS will maintain uninterrupted power to Shetland’s homes and businesses.
The battery system features a range of technologies: it will deliver distribution fault ride through (DFRT) capabilities and standby solution services to support Shetland's mainland interconnector. These capabilities ensure grid stability in the face of transmission faults by keeping the system powered without interruption.
“As European grids grow increasingly interconnected and interdependent, projects like this signal the importance of energy storage for grid stability,” said Tamara De Gruyter, President, Wärtsilä Energy Storage and EVP, Wärtsilä. “With the advanced and proven capabilities of the GEMS platform, Wärtsilä is helping future-proof the grid with battery systems that can react in microseconds to any type of system disturbance, to maintain security of supply for Shetland.”
Wärtsilä’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform will manage the battery system’s real-time performance, ensuring fast, intelligent responses to fluctuations in supply and demand. With a power output that exceeds Shetland’s local load, the system will provide a crucial buffer against grid instability, enabling a secure and decarbonised energy future for the islands.
“This project combines a battery with an AC chopper in Shetland and will 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 emis-sions and utilising more renewables in Shetland,” added James Basden, Zenobe Founder Director. “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."
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