Battery energy storage system (BESS) developer Firstway Energy has announced it has successfully secured planning consent for a new BESS project in Derbyshire.
The Willington energy storage scheme will be located in Willington, South Derbyshire, and will feature a 100MW, 2-hour duration BESS. The project will connect directly into the nearby Willington substation. The developer has not stated when it expects construction to commence or be completed.
This is the sixth project for which Firstway Energy has successfully secured planning permission in the past eight months. In February of this year, the company announced that it had been granted planning consent for the Bicker Drove project, a 100MW proposal in Boston, Lincolnshire; as well as the 100MW Iley Lane BESS in Halesowen, Dudley; and the 200MW Mill Hey development, located in Capenhurst, Cheshire.
The developer states that it worked closely with planning officers at South Derbyshire Council, as well as local stakeholders, in developing planning proposals for the Willington BESS scheme.
Nathan Stevenson, managing director at Firstway Energy, called the Willington BESS scheme “a welcome addition” to the developer’s consented BESS pipeline of over 600MW. He added: “We are delighted to receive approval for this important project and would like to thank the authorities for recognising the ever-increasing importance and need for energy storage facilities”.
Renewable energy successes for South Derbyshire
The South Derbyshire region recently celebrated another major planning win, with last week’s announcement that a solar nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) in the area was granted approval.
The Oaklands Farm Solar project, which was put forward by BayWa r.e., will be set over 400 acres of South Derbyshire countryside and will have 138MW of solar PV generation capacity. The site will also feature a 37.5MW co-located BESS, and the full project will have an export capacity of 162.3MW and an import capacity of 37.5MW.
The project will deliver significant benefits to the local area, with a 125% biodiversity net gain in habitat units expected across the site. A community benefit fund worth £55,000 each year over the 40-year operational lifespan of the project has also been established.
Meanwhile, the energy storage market across the UK has gained a significant boost this week with the launch of its first sector-specific trade group. Wednesday (25 June) marked the launch of the Energy Storage Association (ESA), with founding members including GivEnergy Limited, Sunsynk, Powervault and Octopus Energy.
