Published: 14 May 2021, 10:23
Image: RES.
A 99.9MW energy storage project in development by RES has secured planning permission, with the asset set to be operational in late 2023.
Located in the Selby area in North Yorkshire, the Lakeside Energy Storage Project will be the largest energy storage project in RES’ now 420MW portfolio of energy storage in the UK and Ireland once completed.
The development has consent for 51 energy storage containers and 42 transformers, with construction expected to start in late 2022.
The utility-grade batteries will store electricity from the grid at times of low demand and high renewables, and export back to the grid at times of high demand and low renewables.
Alan McMahon, head of energy storage at RES, said: “At RES we’re committed to ensuring that everyone has access to affordable zero carbon energy and energy storage is a tremendous way to use more renewable power more often.”
Plans are also in place to ensure the area in North Yorkshire benefits from the development, including a biodiversity project set to exceed the government’s desired 10% biodiversity net gain requirement. A total of 3.10 hectares of land is proposed for a number of varying types of habitat creation. Additionally, scrub habitats are to be created elsewhere on the site to provide landscape screening, neutral grassland and sustainable urban drainage features.
The development securing planning permission comes after RES announced yesterday (14 May) that it had sold an 80MW battery storage project to Gore Street Energy Storage Fund, with this asset also scheduled to become operational in 2023, although in this case Q1. This followed RES selling a 54MW portfolio of co-located solar and storage assets in Co. Wexford, Ireland to investor and asset manager NTR in February. The 54MW portfolio consists of two battery storage projects with a combined capacity of 25MW along with 29MW of solar PV, all of which are expected to enter commerical operation in 2022.
This year has also seen RES promise a “solar renaissance”, unveiling a pipeline of 23 bifacial solar projects in the UK and Ireland totaling over 1GW.