Pulse Clean Energy today announces that its 30MW / 67MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), located in Atherton, West of Manchester, is now operational.
As the seventh project energised by Pulse Clean Energy since 2023, the site adds to the company’s growing asset base. Each asset contributes to strengthening the UK’s energy resilience while lowering system costs and increasing energy abundance.
The site – once home to coal mining and now known as Coal Pit – will provide vital services to help balance the national power network. A site once used for coal extraction has been transformed to support a cheaper, cleaner energy system by storing excess energy from renewable generation when production is high and releasing it during periods of lower generation or high demand.
Built on a brownfield site, the 2+ hour duration facility can power over 300,000 homes for an hour. Over its first decade of operation, Coal Pit is expected to prevent more than 34,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions – equivalent to removing 7,500 diesel cars from the road.
Significant rewilding and biodiversity enhancements have also been integrated into the site design. Coal Pit will deliver an estimated 300% biodiversity net gain, far exceeding the 10% statutory requirement. This includes nearly one hectare of native tree and shrub planting (approx. 4,000 trees and shrubs), wildflower meadows, and a riparian woodland buffer to restore and enhance natural habitats.
The project was financed through Pulse Clean Energy’s £220 million green debt deal from a consortium of six international banks. Pulse Clean Energy collaborated with several key partners to bring this project to fruition, including Metka as the EPC contractor and Flexitricity as the route-to-market provider.
Trevor Wills, CEO of Pulse Clean Energy, said: “It’s fantastic to see Coal Pit up and running in Greater Manchester. A region with a proud industrial past is leading the way with a new generation of affordable and reliable energy, while enhancing the local environment.”
“As demand for energy grows and intermittent sources of energy such as wind and solar continue to scale, sites like Coal Pit are essential to ensuring energy is less costly for homes, businesses, and industry.”
Pulse Clean Energy is targeting more than 2GWh of installed capacity in the UK by 2030.
