Statkraft seeks planning nod for UK grid park, more solar and storage

Norway’s Statkraft A/S last week submitted planning applications for two solar parks in England with up to 104 MW of battery storage capacity at one of the sites.

The renewable energy producer is seeking permission from the East Riding of Yorkshire Council to install a 49.99-MW solar park in between the Northern England villages of Allerthorpe and Thornton to generate electricity for around 18,500 homes. The so-called Soay Solar Farm project comes together with a proposal for a Greener Grid Park – a facility that will enable utility National Grid plc to accommodate more renewable power to its power network.

The Soay Solar Farm and Greener Grid Park will represent a total investment of around GBP 125 million (USD 169.3m/EUR 148.5m). Provided that it secures consent this year, Statkraft will initiate construction works in 2023.

“The Soay Solar Farm will generate a large amount of sustainable electricity and the Greener Grid Park will optimise the uptake of that electricity to the national grid, meaning the two projects are entirely complimentary,” said project director Charlotte Healey.

Also last week, Statkraft has lodged a planning application for a 29-MVA solar farm in Mid Suffolk, which will be coupled with an up to 104-MW battery storage system. Dubbed Greybarn, the photovoltaic (PV) park will be located on a 44-ha area south of Tye Lane, near the village of Bramford. According to the developer, the plant will be capable of producing over 41 GWh of electricity per year, or enough to supply 9,200 households.

(GBP 1.0 = USD 1.355/EUR 1.188)

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