Bolney National Grid Substation is an important strategic asset in the UK energy system, being one of only 4 GSP points in the South East of England, which are responsible for taking the high voltage from the National Grid and connecting it to the distribution network. It is also one of a small number of substations which are at a sufficient scale to receive power exported from the UK’s offshore wind farms, in this case, the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm.
Given the prominent role of battery storage in increasing energy security and helping to balance significant volumes of power, it makes practical sense to locate the storage facility next to such an important component of the electricity network where it will have the most beneficial impact.