BW ESS lands three-bank debt facility for Europe's largest battery by storage
What's the deal? Energy storage owner-operator BW ESSDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has secured debt financing for its 350MW/1,243MWh Hams Hall battery energy storage system (BESS) in the West Midlands. Lenders OCBCDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, RabobankDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Societe Generale will each contribute equal amounts to the facility, which closes once the site reaches commercial operation.
What's the endgame? BW ESS says the 3.5-hour Hams Hall project will be the largest operational BESS in Europe by megawatt-hours. A planned second phase will expand capacity to 400MW/1,424MWh at the site, next to National Grid's Hams Hall substation.
Why now? The first phase is backed by a 10-year floor and optimisation agreement with EDF, signed earlier this year. That contracted revenue framework gave lenders the confidence to fund the build.
What else? BW ESS typically funds projects from its own balance sheet during construction, securing offtake and external financing once underway. Its UK portfolio also includes the operational 332MWh Bramley BESS and the under-construction 200MW/857MWh Berkswell BESS, alongside the 1GW/5.7GWh Klostermansfeld project in Germany.
Chief financial officer Nick Stamp called the financing "another major milestone," adding that "the exceptionally strong response from lenders demonstrates growing confidence in both the investment case for battery storage and BW ESS' ability to develop and operate strategically important infrastructure assets."
The signal: The deal reflects a wave of UK storage financings, from Fidra EnergyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s 500MW West Burton C to MasdarDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s first UK battery deal. Lenders are increasingly backing larger batteries with longer-duration capacity — and clearer revenue frameworks.
Read more: sustainableconstruction-now.com
Image credit: Western Area Power Admin
