Gravesham Council Considers Battery Storage Plan in Northfleet

A local council may build a battery system. This system would store energy on vacant land. Gravesham council is talking to Speedgreen Limited. They may lease the land for 37 years. The land is in Thames Way, Northfleet. It has been empty for a long time.

The council wants to build a BESS there. It would include batteries and transformers, a substation and security would also be included. Underground cables would connect it to a substation. Most of the land would be for the electrical equipment, the rest will provide screening and improve nature.

Construction should take about one year. After the lease ends, they will remove the BESS. The land will then return to its prior condition. Council members will discuss using the land for money, the meeting is set for Monday, February 24th.

Council officers advise supporting the deal. Rent and profits will help the council’s budget. The council would get at least £120,000 yearly. Speedgreen also has a two-year option for planning permission. They can end the lease after ten years.

The BESS could store 100 MWh of energy. This is enough to power 200,000 homes for one hour. Officers state the plant will store extra energy that comes from the national grid. It will then supply cheaper power to locals.

Speedgreen has a grid connection date. They still need to reach milestones. The site sits near a train station, as well as a sewage works and industrial park. BESSs are important for the UK’s power grid. The government seeks to make power greener.

These systems store extra renewable energy and send this power when it is needed. Other BESS projects have faced disagreement. One project is between Southfleet and Northfleet.

Clearstone Energy wants to build a BESS on farmland. It is off Station Road, near Southfleet. Some residents support these projects. They see them as vital for the future, while others worry about using farmland.