Plans for a massive battery scheme in the Norfolk countryside have been unveiled, with promises of cutting the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Developers hope the project for a ‘Greener Grid Park’ at Necton will improve the reliability of renewable energy being fed into the National Grid, using dozens of large-scale batteries and other zero-carbon technologies.
The site is on land to the south of the A47, next to the Necton Substation, and will support other schemes like Vattenfall’s offshore windfarms, which will supply electricity to 4.6m houses across the country.
Statkraft, the company behind the latest project, is Europe’s largest generator of green energy.
How big the project will be has not yet been revealed, with a planning application expected to be submitted to Breckland Council in the summer.
Greener Grid Parks is a collection of buildings, resembling agricultural barns or shipping containers.
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Along with providing a power storage facility, the parks will also include large machines - called ‘synchronous compensators’ - which help regulate the voltage going into the National Grid, ensuring a steady supply.
Currently, at times of low wind activity, fossil fuel plants are fired up to ensure grid stability. Greener grid parks are meant to ensure this is no longer needed.
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Sacha Lloyd Rutherford, Statkraft’s Necton project developer said: “Our Greener Grid Parks are pioneering projects, which are essential to stabilise the national grid, and allow more renewable energy to be transmitted through the network, without relying on coal and gas-fired power stations to provide stability services.
“This means fewer harmful emissions, and lower bills for consumers, because renewable electricity is cheaper.”
If approved, construction of the Necton scheme is expected to take around 18 months.
The developer has pledged to work with Norfolk Chambers of Commerce to maximise opportunities for local suppliers but has not revealed how many people the scheme will employ.
Battery worries
The Necton Greener Grid Park is one of a number of large scale energy projects planned for the Norfolk countryside, with battery projects approved for Swardeston and Dunston.
Fire chiefs recently voiced concerns over the threat presented by the growing number of schemes being installed across the county to store electricity from wind and solar farms.
The lithium-ion devices - which are an important part of the renewable energy revolution - can be extremely difficult to extinguish if they catch fire.
Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has said it now considers the devices an "emerging risk" on its community risk management plan - the document it uses to assess dangers facing the county.
Experts say the risk of fires is low, but when the batteries fail or overheat, they release flammable toxic gases that can spark fast-spreading fires that are extremely difficult to extinguish.
Statkraft has promised to implement procedures and plans for emergency situations, and will run regular emergency preparedness exercises in order to ensure that all personnel in the organisation, including third parties, are aware of how to act and react if any unplanned situations should occur.
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