Leading battery energy storage system (BESS) operator, Root-Power, has received the green light to build a new £45 million renewable energy storage facility in Leicestershire, after gaining planning approval on appeal.
The new 100-MW development, situated on the banks of the River Soar near Kegworth, will play a critical role in both storing surplus energy generated from low carbon and renewable sources and then releasing it back to the National Grid.
The new BESS facility will connect to the local grid infrastructure, helping to support the energy transition away from the former coal-fired Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station to a clean energy hub, supporting the region’s commitment to decarbonisation and sustainable industrial growth.
It will also safeguard the needs of thousands of business and domestic energy users during peak demand, help reduce energy price volatility and prevent blackouts that cause disruption to local communities and lead to costly downtime for businesses.
In addition to creating local jobs during the construction phase, the BESS facility will play an important role in enabling the government to implement its Clean Power 2030 (CP2030) reforms and achieve its long-term net-zero targets.
In a bid to protect local wildlife and enhance conservation in the area, Root-Power is committed to achieving a high Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) at the BESS facility when it commences construction in 2029. The development is forecast to achieve a +71% habitat BNG which greatly exceeds the +10% required national minimum and will be achieved through the creation and enhancement of new and existing wildlife habitats. Root-Power also anticipates attaining a +82% BNG hedgerow increase through landscaping and the installation of new native, species-rich hedgerows.
In its appeal, Root-Power worked in partnership with the Environment Agency and Lead Local Flood Authority, to allay concerns around potential flood risks on the site by reiterating its plans to build the facility above ground level and allow flood water to pass underneath. Additional flood water storage through a sunken storage tank has also been incorporated into the final design to provide further defences.
Neil Brooks, Managing Director at Root-Power, responded: “We’re delighted to have won our planning appeal to build this new BESS facility in Leicestershire, as it will greatly benefit local people and play a vital environmental role in storing and supplying renewable energy to meet the sustainability needs of the National Grid. It will help balance electricity supply during peak grid demand, prevent outages, and help stabilise and reduce energy prices that impact thousands of residents and businesses nearby. During the planning phase, we’ve allayed any concerns around flooding and demonstrated a strong commitment to sensitively landscaping areas of the development to achieve high BNGs that preserve and enhance local wildlife and conservation. We look forward to providing clean, flexible electricity to the National Grid and safeguarding the power needs of communities in the local area over the next 15 – 20 years.”
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