Banks Group plans to deploy a massive battery energy storage system with up to 2.8 GWh of capacity at the former Thorpe Marsh coal power station site near Doncaster, northeastern England.
The transformation of the Thorpe Marsh thermal power station, which has been disused since 1994, would use its 1.45 GW connection to the UK National Grid to get power from North Sea wind farms into the network.
“Thorpe Marsh’s existing grid connection and its proximity to where much of the energy that will be produced by the east coast’s growing portfolio of wind farms will come ashore makes it an excellent location for this project,” said Lewis Stokes, senior community relations manager at Banks Group.
The first phase of the project would be to progressively remove and reclaim the power station’s former ash disposal area. Banks Group is set to begin public consultations over the plans in the coming months. If approved, the project is expected to break ground in 2024.
In other news, independent energy specialist Balance Power and renewables developer TagEnergy have partnered to build, own and operate 500 MW of battery energy storage system projects across the United Kingdom.
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An investment of more than GBP 300 million ($335.7 million) will be required to deliver the projects over the next four years.
The partnership will see TagEnergy become the majority owner of the projects, expanding its current portfolio of more than 300 MW of ready-to-build or under-construction battery projects. The agreement will also deliver Balance Power’s first operating energy storage projects.
Earlier this month, Spanish developer Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) and UK renewable energy company Tyler Hill Partners created a platform to develop, build and operate up to 1GW/2GWh of battery energy storage system projects in the United Kingdom. The platform, RV TH Powertek Ltd., is expected to deliver an aggregate investment of GBP 1 billion in the projects over the next five years.
RenewableUK figures from April show that the total pipeline of battery projects in the United Kingdom has doubled from 16.1 GW a year ago to 32.1 GW. Operational battery storage project capacity grew by 45%, from 1.1 GW to 1.6 GW, and the capacity of projects under construction has more than doubled to 1.4 GW. An additional 10.4 GW has been approved, while 7.7 GW has been submitted in the planning system.
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I wonder what technology will be used. 2.8 MWh is a bit large and expensive for lithium ion.
Highview Power are saying they are developing a 2.5 MWh battery in Yorkshire on their web site.
Could this be it?