A local council in England is set to build one of the country’s largest battery energy storage facilities after receiving consent for the project.
Swindon Borough Council’s wholly owned company, Public Power Solutions (PPS), is planning to install the 50 MW battery energy storage plant at a brownfield site on the southern side of the town, located in western England. PPS says it is now in discussions with developers seeking front of the meter battery storage opportunities to take on the funding and construction of the project, which benefits from a very low grid connection cost.
Steve Cains, Head of Power Solutions, PPS, said: “The project has a great location next to a substation, meaning the grid connection cost is very competitive – so this is a good opportunity for a developer looking for front of the meter battery storage opportunities that will enable them to generate an income in a variety of different ways.
“Local authorities are in a unique position to benefit from the growing demand for electricity storage, with diverse property portfolios and high energy consumption. We’re making it work at home here in Swindon but this project could be replicated in many other parts of the country, helping generate an income for the cash-strapped public sector.”
The project is designed to have a 30-year lifespan and will offer a long-term land rental income for Swindon Borough Council. It will be able to deliver balancing services for National Grid, PPS said in a statement.
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