FRV Files 1.8GW Solar-Storage for UK Connections

• FRV fast-tracks 1.8 GW of solar and batteries into the UK’s reformed grid queue, targeting pre-2030 connections as demand for flexible, low-carbon power surges.

Fotowatio Renewable Ventures said Tuesday it has lodged 1.8 GW of solar and battery energy storage projects into the UK grid’s Gate 2 window under the National Energy System Operator’s Connection Reform Process, positioning the assets for connection before 2030. The submission covers a mix of utility-scale photovoltaic sites and co-located or standalone BESS assets.

The move places FRV in the reformed UK grid connection queue designed to accelerate capacity additions and cut delays. The company did not disclose project locations, timelines within the window, or capex. FRV, part of Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, is expanding its UK pipeline amid rising demand for flexible, low-carbon power.

How will FRV’s 1.8 GW UK solar-BESS submission accelerate pre-2030 grid connections?

• Enters the “first-ready, first-connected” Gate 2 queue, where meeting hard milestones (land rights, planning, financing, detailed design) can pull projects forward to pre‑2030 slots.
  
• Enables batched network studies under the reformed process, shortening assessment times versus one‑by‑one modelling.
  
• Positions assets to accept interim non‑firm access, allowing earlier energisation ahead of full reinforcement completion.
• Mix of co‑located PV and BESS can share capacity at a single connection point, lowering required export capacity and easing queue pressure.
• BESS can provide constraint management and grid support (e.g., peak‑shaving, voltage/reactive power), unlocking earlier connections on constrained nodes.
• Ability to operate flexibly (charging during constraints, discharging off‑peak) reduces curtailment risk, making them better candidates for accelerated offers.
• Scale (1.8 GW) gives ESO/TOs clearer visibility for reinforcement planning and tranching, improving pre‑2030 scheduling.
• Grid‑forming and fast‑frequency response capability from modern inverters can meet system stability needs, reducing additional network works.
  
• Portfolio diversity (standalone and co‑located across zones) lets ESO allocate earlier dates where capacity exists, rather than waiting for a single large reinforcement.
  
• Queue management rules remove inactive projects; a delivery‑ready portfolio like FRV’s can advance into dates vacated by slower schemes.
  
• Co‑location optimises use of limited connection capacity (clipping capture, DC/AC sharing), increasing MW connected per MVA of grid capacity before 2030.
• Early commitment to deliverability data and construction programmes helps align outages and reinforcement windows, bringing energisation forward.