- Wärtsilä has signed an Engineered Equipment Delivery contract to supply a 68 MW battery energy storage system for the Shetland Standby Project.
- The project will boost grid stability and energy security from 2026, using Wärtsilä’s GEMS platform to provide rapid backup power and reduce fossil fuel dependence.
Wärtsilä, a Finnish technology group, will supply a 68-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) to support power stability for Shetland’s Lerwick Power Station under an Engineered Equipment Delivery (EEQ) contract to Zenobē. This project aims to bolster the UK islands’ energy security and accelerate their shift towards cleaner power.
The project, booked in the second quarter of 2025 and scheduled to go live in 2026, forms part of the Shetland Standby Project, which aims to support grid stability, reduce emissions and integrate greater volumes of renewable energy on the island network.
Meanwhile, once operational, the battery system will allow Lerwick Power Station to move into a backup role, cutting fossil fuel use and smoothing the incorporation of wind power. During outages or maintenance on the link to mainland Scotland, the battery will safeguard power supplies for local homes and businesses.
Wärtsilä said the system includes advanced technologies such as Distribution Fault Ride Through (DFRT) capabilities and standby services to support Shetland’s mainland interconnector, enabling seamless operation during transmission faults.
“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 system disturbance.”
The GEMS Digital Energy Platform will manage the system’s real-time performance, reacting rapidly to shifts in supply and demand. With a power output exceeding Shetland’s local load, the battery will act as a buffer against instability, enabling a secure, low-carbon energy future.
James Basden, Founder Director at Zenobē, said the 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 emissions and utilising more renewables.”
In addition, the Shetland Standby Project marks the third major collaboration between Wärtsilä and Zenobē. It follows a 200 MW/400 MWh system in Blackhillock, Scotland, which went live in March 2025, and a 300 MW/600 MWh project under development in Kilmarnock.
Wärtsilä will deploy its Quantum energy storage technology for the Shetland installation and will support the system under a 15-year long-term service agreement to ensure dependable, efficient performance.