Associated British Ports (ABP) Southampton is collaborating with BW ESS to establish a new battery energy storage system (BESS) project at Marchwood industrial park. As per the agreement, BW ESS will develop, own and operate the BESS project. The development follows planning approval from New Forest District Council, with the BESS project to be set up on a brownfield parcel within the industrial park, where older structures have reached the end of their operational and efficiency standards.
The project will be developed on roughly seven acres of leased land. The location provides direct proximity to the Marchwood national grid substation, allowing for a smoother grid connection and minimising disturbances in the surrounding area. Furthermore, the project is scheduled to become fully operational by late 2028. It will have an estimated lifespan of 40 years.
In June 2025, BW ESS and Ibersun formed a joint venture (JV) to develop 2.2 GW of utility-scale, four-hour BESS projects across Spain. Under the JV, the companies plan to advance eight greenfield BESS projects to ready-to-build status within two years, with both companies holding equal ownership in the projects and exploring multiple revenue strategies.
