Leicestershire battery storage project green lit by council
A battery facility capable of powering 235,000 homes for two hours is to be built in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, making it one of the largest battery storage projects to be granted planning permission in the UK and one of the largest such projects in Europe.
Planning permission was granted by Blaby District Council to UK renewable energy developer, Exagen, for the 500MW / 1GWh grid-scale battery energy storage project on 19 acres of land.
The Normanton Energy Reserve is expected to be about ten times larger than most battery projects currently providing storage for the grid. The £270 million battery site will be directly connected to the National Grid at a new substation, helping to maintain grid stability in the face of increasing electricity demand, due to the widespread electrification of transport and heating.
Batteries help manage demand on the network by importing or exporting electricity to the grid at short notice. They reduce reliance on fossil fuels and enable more low-cost renewable energy sources to be integrated into the network, addressing fuel poverty and energy security as well as the threat of climate change.
Up to 35GW of storage capacity will be needed in the UK by 2050 to reach net zero targets. The Normanton Energy Reserve project alone equates to 1.4% of this national requirement.
The approved plans will see 45% of the site used to improve biodiversity. Normanton Millennium Wood will be extended and there will be new wildflower meadows and land for beekeeping, along with new hedgerows and perimeter tree planting. The project will boost biodiversity habitat units by over 25%, compared to the existing baseline.
Ahead of the main site construction, some landscaping works and planting will be implemented in advance, and given the chance to establish and grow. 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.
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.
