Black & Veatch, the Glasgow-based energy, procurement, and engineering consultancy, has been selected by Matrix Renewables to serve as Owner's Engineer for a major new Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Eccles, Scotland.

The facility is set to deliver a significant capacity of 500MW/1GWh, providing enough energy to power approximately 100,000 homes. Strategically located along the primary transmission corridors between Scotland and England, the Eccles project marks Matrix Renewables' debut in the UK market. The site will utilise advanced battery technology to provide essential flexibility to the national grid, allowing renewable energy to be stored and dispatched during peak demand.

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In its role as Owner's Engineer, Black & Veatch will provide end-to-end technical support throughout the project's execution. This remit includes EPC design reviews, construction monitoring, commissioning supervision, and oversight of initial operations. The firm will be responsible for ensuring the plant operates safely, remains compliant with all permits, and meets strict performance requirements.

Rafael E Frias III, EMEA Managing Director for Black & Veatch, commented: "For more than one hundred years, Black & Veatch has stood at the forefront of providing human critical infrastructure in more than 100 countries. By applying our global experience in battery storage to the Eccles project, we'll help Matrix deliver energy resilience and create reliable storage infrastructure for the UK grid. Black & Veatch will leverage our EPC expertise, local knowledge and skilled leadership to execute this project to the highest quality and standards of safety."

The project aligns with the UK Government's net-zero strategy and the broader ambition to bolster grid resilience, with a formal resilience strategy expected next year. Black & Veatch brings a wealth of international experience to the contract, having supported the delivery of 8.9GWh as an EPC provider and 74GWh as Owner's Engineer globally.