Green energy boost as battery site is given the go-ahead
A NEW battery site capable of providing two hours of back-up power to 235,000 homes has been given the goahead by Blaby District Council.
Green energy specialist Exagen will be developing a 19-acre site in the countryside near Earl Shilton.
The site will be one of the largest battery storage projects to be granted planning permission in the UK, about 10 times bigger than most battery projects providing storage for the grid.
It will be used to hold spare green energy and release it when demand outstrips supply - for instance when the sun stops shining on solar farms or when wind turbines stop spinning.
The £270 million project will be directly connected to the National Grid at a new substation.
Batteries help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and enabling more lowcost renewable energy sources to be integrated into the network. Called the Normanton Energy Reserve, Exagen said the plant will be essential in helping the UK to transition to net zero while connecting enough homegrown energy to power our homes and businesses in a safe and sustainable way.
The company said plans will also see 45 per cent of the land used to improve biodiversity.
Ahead of the main site construction, some landscaping work and planting will take place, and given the chance to establish and grow.
Normanton Millennium Wood will be extended and there will be new wildflower meadows and land for beekeeping, along with new hedgerows perimeter tree planting.
This will be followed by pre-construction activity, including service and equipment procurement, with an ambition to partner with local businesses as much as possible. There are plans to establish around a £4 million community fund to spend on improvements in the area. Residents will be consulted on how the money is used. Exagen said they will take ownership of the land, so will have a long-term vested interest in the local community and stewardship of the site. The start of construction will see £250,000 made available for local projects and groups and, once operational, £50,000 will be added and each year of the project’s operational life of up to 40 years.
Jeremy Littman, CEO at Exagen Development said: “For the UK to achieve its 2050 net zero target at the lowest possible cost, there needs to be an increase in electricity storage capacity to balance renewable energy generation.
“As more renewables are deployed, larger battery projects like Normanton will be required.
“It is vital that they are developed sensitively and in partnership with the local communities that host them. We’ve been guided by our local stakeholders to achieve consent for a significant infrastructure project that is unobtrusive and balances national needs with local benefit.
“We’ll work now to deliver this project into operation in that same spirit of partnership, and as an active and useful member of the local community.”
As more renewables are deployed, larger battery projects like Normanton will be required.