
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) have become a critical part of the UK’s energy infrastructure. Essential for ensuring grid reliability through the increasing uptake of renewables, there are currently more than 160 BESS sites across the UK. These sites need to be durable, secure, and ideally sustainable. And that’s why screw piles (also known as helical piles) have become the most commonly chosen foundation for BESS installation.
What Benefits Can Screw Piles Bring to BESS Sites?
Speed of installation
Unlike traditional concrete foundations, which require excavation, curing time, and extensive site preparation, screw piles can be installed rapidly and are ready to use instantly. Installation requires minimal equipment. Minimal labour – someone to control the machinery and someone to guide the pile. Lowers soil disturbance and preparation. And can be managed year-round, even in winter or wet conditions. It’s fast and it’s easy, reducing construction costs while ensuring long-term stability.
Structural stability
Screw piles are engineered for performance. Their deep anchoring capability provides strong resistance to both axial and lateral loads. This makes them ideal for supporting the weight and vibration of containerised battery systems.
Site flexibility
Screw piles are adaptable to soil conditions. They work in a wide range of geotechnical environments, from soft clay to loose sand and flood-prone areas. In fact, the only conditions that screw piles may not be suitable for are a certain grade of gravel and solid rock.
Screw piles are also removable and reusable. Which makes them ideal for modular or relocatable energy storage installations. They can be easily adjusted in the field. And installation causes minimal disruption, which is important for sensitive environments or urban sites.
Sustainability
If you work in the renewable energy sector, you can’t just pay lip service to environmental matters. Which means that the low environmental footprint of helical piles can be very appealing. They’re not only removable, reusable, and recyclable. But the lack of concrete in installation means reduced CO₂ emissions. And the limited soil disruption during installation supports local ecology and stormwater management.
Cost-effectiveness
The initial cost of screw piles is often comparable to traditional foundations. But their overall lifecycle savings are significant. They’re faster to install and require lower labour costs. Fewer materials are needed for installation. Removal is simple, and the need for redress at end-of-life is minimal. All leading to enhanced cost-effectiveness in the long term.
BESS systems are transforming how we produce, store, and use energy. But to do that, they need the appropriate infrastructure. Screw piles can provide a modern, efficient, and eco-friendly foundation that can be easily scaled while ensuring that any BESS project stays on time and on budget.
Do you need support sourcing, designing, or installing screw piles for your BESS site? Get in touch with UK Helix.