1 minute read | September.01.2026
Orrick has advised Ørsted on the execution of a contract with Arenko to utilise Arenko’s Nimbus software platform for the optimisation of Ørsted’s Iceni battery energy storage system (BESS). The Iceni BESS is a 300 MW / 600 MWh battery energy storage project to be co-located with Ørsted's 2.9 GW Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm in the United Kingdom. When complete, the Iceni BESS will be one of the largest battery energy storage systems in Europe.
Arenko’s Nimbus platform will handle trading, real-time optimisation and asset management of the Iceni BESS, which is scheduled to become operational in Q1 2027.
Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted is the global leader in developing, constructing and operating offshore wind farms, with almost 6 GW of operating capacity in the UK, the company’s largest market.
Given the combination of the utility-scale battery, the size of the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm and the shared connection infrastructure, the Iceni BESS project is widely regarded as one of the most technically and commercially advanced battery developments in Europe. Reflecting this, the project has been designated as a “pathfinder” project under the UK's Offshore Transmission Network Review. Through this designation, Iceni serves as a blueprint for the future of co-located energy infrastructure in the UK, demonstrating how shared grid connections between offshore wind and battery storage can increase output and improve system efficiency.
The Orrick team was led by Alfred Weightman, with support from Craig Bruce and Caitlyn Duke.