Root-Power moves ahead with energy storage project
Published by Oliver Kleinschmidt,
Assistant Editor
Energy Global,
Root-Power, a new market entrant backed by the YLEM Group, has announced it has received planning permission for a new battery energy storage site in Caterham, Surrey. The site, adjacent to Caterham Bypass, will add a further 12 MW to Root-Power’s growing portfolio when it goes live in 2025, and has been designed with a 4 hour storage duration, enough to power around 24 000 homes which is equivalent to the entire population of Caterham.
The news comes following an exhaustive development process resulting from the project’s sensitive location within both the Greenbelt and the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Root-Power’s team consulted extensively with the AONB officers and local wildlife groups ahead of submitting the planning application in late 2023. They then supplemented the planning application with a comprehensive Alternative Site Assessment (ASA) and Greenbelt Justification Report.
Development factors such as proximity to the Point of Connection (POC), distance from residential properties, size, and location of potential alternative sites within the area, were all considered to rule out alternative locations. The report concluded there were no other suitable locations for development which fell outside of the AONB or green belt. This was supported by the AONB officer.
The development site is also designated as one of the UK’s 56 ‘Habitats of Principle Importance’ (HPI). It was required to demonstrate that the existing habitat was possible to replace before planning the development could progress. Root-Power achieved this through a combination of on-site biodiversity initiatives and through an agreement to secure off-site biodiversity units via a habitat bank, making the project one of the first in the country, and the first for Tandridge Council, to be consented to on the condition of securing off-site biodiversity units.
Neil Brooks, Managing Director at Root-Power said: “We’re thrilled to have received the planning consent for our new site in Caterham, Surrey. Due to the project’s unique combination of planning constraints, it has been a challenging project to secure planning consent for and we are pleased we’ve been able to secure this consent via delegated decision, without the need for appeal.
“I’m delighted with the outcome and impressed with the team’s efforts over the last few months. This project is further evidence of Root-Power’s ability to secure planning permission for renewables projects in the most challenging of environments.
“I would also like to thank the people and organisations we worked with along the way, including Tandridge Council and the Surrey Wildlife Trust. Their expertise and advice were second to none, and we’re glad we could work together to establish the best possible conditions for the site.
“We are looking forward to the Tillingdown Farm site joining our portfolio of battery energy storage projects when it goes live in 2025.”
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Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/energy-storage/18092024/root-power-moves-ahead-with-energy-storage-project/
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