Orsted has secured consent for a battery storage project in England from South Norfolk Council that will serve its 2.9GW Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm.
The development is expected to be in the region of 200MW and will be a standalone facility providing grid services and supporting the UK’s transition to net zero.
The storage technology will use lithium-ion batteries.
No additional land would be used for the project as it will be co-located with already planned permitted infrastructure at Swardeston.
Equipment will be housed in either modular buildings or containers designed to minimise noise and maximise safety. Once at the end of its life, all infrastructure would be removed, and the batteries recycled.
Construction of the energy storage project is expected to take place at the same time as the building of the Hornsea 3 onshore substation with the aim of reducing disruption.
By optimising how the land is used at the Hornsea 3 onshore substation site, the project is able to avoid additional cable routes to and from the National Grid Norwich Main substation.
An Orsted spokesperson said: “As the UK shifts away from fossil fuels, the way we consume and generate electricity is rapidly changing.
“We believe that energy storage will play a pivotal role in a world that runs entirely on green energy.
“In the transition to clean energy, storage is a key component of a smarter, more flexible energy system.
“With planning permission now in place, we will continue to work alongside local stakeholders and our chosen suppliers to finalise designs.
“We’d like to thank everyone who inputted into our consultations to help shape our proposals.”