Statera Energy has secured planning permission for a 400MW battery energy storage system (BESS) for up to 6 hours duration near Chickerell, Dorset. The site’s proximity to an existing National Grid substation will enable Statera to store and deliver instantaneous power, providing resilience and flexibility to the UK grid, while enabling the transition to a low carbon energy system.
The project, approved by Dorset Council, is Statera’s largest consented BESS project to date, and highlights Statera’s ongoing efforts to build and operate grid-balancing infrastructure. Once energised, it will operate alongside long-duration energy storage and other flexible technologies to help achieve the Government’s target to decarbonise the electricity grid by 2030. Increasing BESS capacity in locations close to existing National Grid substations is crucial to enable on-demand power in periods of intermittent generation from renewables such as solar and wind.
All proposals have been developed in line with the National Planning Policy Framework and the saved policies of the West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan.
In addition to the BESS facility, 21 hectares of the 30-hectare site will be turned into community parkland to deliver biodiversity net gain. Important views towards the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty will also be closely preserved through tree and hedgerow planting.
As well as meeting all relevant planning requirements, Statera has worked closely with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service to ensure that all necessary safety standards are met and created a Fire Liaison Framework as part of the planning process. Through an iterative design process, Statera has added several additional measures to the proposed facility’s design to increase safety, including cooling systems to ensure that batteries stay within a safe temperature range, and automatically triggered fire suppression systems.
