Planning permission has been granted for an energy storage project in Leighton Buzzard, designed to help network investment efficiency and support the integration of more low-carbon technologies into the electricity network, according to the project owner UK Power Networks. The facility will also offer testing for further high-voltage energy storage technology.

3 July 2013 – Plans for a cutting-edge electricity storage facility at Leighton Buzzard have been granted planning permission, and could pave the way for others across the UK.

UK Power Networks, which distributes electricity in the East of England, London and the South East, last month received consents to build the energy storage facility at a substation site in the town.

The company liaised closely with the council and local residents over the last year in order to reach the agreement and ensure the development meets local requirements.

Nick Heyward, UK Power Networks’ project director for Smarter Network Storage, said: “The granting of consents for the storage facility is an important milestone for the Smarter Network Storage project, and ensures that we can move forward by deferring or avoiding the significant rebuild of the electricity network which would have otherwise been needed at Leighton Buzzard.

“This innovative installation will also provide a leading test bed for exploring the capabilities and economics of high-voltage energy storage, which is very useful for the industry.”

The project is due to install a 6MW/10MWh ‘big battery’ at one of the town’s main substation sites by the end of 2014. The device will be the largest of its kind located on a distribution network in the UK. The project aims to help decrease the future costs of energy storage in the UK and increase network investment efficiency, supporting the adoption of more low carbon technologies on the electricity network.

The project will involve a range of commercial and technical trials to explore and improve the economics of electrical energy storage, allowing storage to benefit the electricity system in a number of sustainable and flexible ways.

The big battery will be used as an alternative method to traditional network reinforcement; reducing the immediate need for upgrading the electricity network to accommodate low carbon technologies and add flexibility to reduce the capacity constraints at the site.

The project secured £13.2million of funding from the regulator, Ofgem, through the Low Carbon Network Fund in November 2012.

This will be the first time that big battery of this size has been used in this way by a UK distribution network operator. The significant knowledge and learning from the trials, which will be shared with other network operators, trade associations, the Government and Ofgem, will support the industry in assessing the full potential of electrical storage, enabling more efficient use of storage in the future and reducing overall costs for customers.

UK Power Networks wants to keep the local community informed of developments, before and throughout construction on site, which is likely to start in the autumn. The company will be working closely with Central Bedfordshire Council and the community to minimise disruption – for example, by ensuring adequate traffic management for the project duration. It would welcome any further feedback, concerns and suggestions from the community. A special email address has been set up: [email protected].

Nick said: “We want to take the local community along with us on what will be an exciting and important innovative development for the distribution of electricity. This project will have an impact not only for Leighton Buzzard but also nationally. What we learn here will be vital for future similar schemes.

“We feel part of local communities – our local staff are users of the power network, as well as colleagues. So we want this project to be part of the community we serve too.”

For further information, please visit www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk