Exagen has submitted plans for its 500MW/1GWh Normanton Energy Reserve battery site.
The £350m project will be capable of powering 235,000 homes for two hours, equivalent to 80% of the homes in Leicestershire, the county in which the battery will be situated.
The company aims to energise and connect the project to the grid in 2028, with much of the construction being in the year before this. However, earthworks and landscaping would be implemented in advance to allow time for the planting to establish and begin to mature before the main development is constructed.
In addition, Exagen has said it will use approximately 45% of the 19-acre site to improve biodiversity, including extending Normanton Millennium Wood and delivering a 44% net gain for biodiversity habitat units.
The developer will also establish a community fund to spend on improvements in the local area, with citizens invited to consult on how the fund and land is used.
Mark Rowcroft, Development Director at Exagen said: “We’re committed to transforming energy for good, bringing batteries onto the grid to ensure we can store energy and keep the lights on when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow.
“That’s why we’re excited to work with local communities and businesses to ensure the project is not only bringing clean, home-grown energy onto our grid, but that the site is also benefitting the local area.
“Over the next few months, we’ll be announcing a variety of opportunities for individuals and businesses to get involved. We look forward to hearing from those in Thurlaston, Earl Shilton and the surrounding area about how we can make this site best work for them long-term.”