Zenobe, the UK’s leading owner and operator of grid scale batteries on the GB transmission network, has announced that their 300 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) in Kilmarnock, Scotland, has begun commercial operations.
The site has gone live in just under two years after financial close was announced and construction began in January 2024. Kilmarnock South’s go live comes just 10 months after Zenobe’s 200 MW Blackhillock BESS entered operation in March 2025.
Kilmarnock South is part of Zenobe’s £1 billion investment into battery storage and clean transportation in Scotland, with 1.3 GW of storage assets now operational or in construction across the country. This launch takes the company’s operational capacity in the UK to 731 MW, with a further 568 MW/1230 MWh currently under construction.
The site, strategically located near several offshore wind farms, will also provide stability services, supporting a more efficient and resilient energy network as renewable generation continues to scale. It will be only the second BESS in the UK to deliver this capability using grid-forming inverters, following Zenobe's Blackhillock BESS, which came online in March 2025.
Zenobe has worked with Wärtsilä, supplying its Quantum energy storage system technology, Omexom provided balance of plant works and EDF Energy acting as the route-to-market provider for the site. Kraken’s platform will support EDF’s energy trading by managing the control and dispatch of energy.
As the site goes live, Zenobe will continue to work with the local community through its community benefit fund, administered by Foundation Scotland, supporting education and training opportunities in the area.
Zenobe Founder and Director, James Basden, commented: “Kilmarnock South is a landmark moment for Scotland – a world first, subsidy-free battery that will reduce energy bills and strengthen Britain’s energy security. This battery will contribute towards ending the absurd waste of clean Scottish wind power. We’re incredibly proud of what the Zenobe team and our supply partners have achieved. Reducing bills for consumers nationwide by harnessing more renewable power is a key criteria for Zenobe as we build out our battery fleet in the UK.”
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