Last week Statkraft came one step closer to developing a Greener Grid Park near Feckenham when it achieved approval from Redditch Borough Council Planning Committee. This is a big milestone for the project.

Located east of Feckenham National Grid Substation, the proposal will help decarbonise the UK’s energy sector by facilitating the flexible operation of the National Grid. It will allow the grid to better adopt renewable energy providing a low emissions alternative to that traditionally provided by fossil fuel generation.

Find out more about how Greener Grid Parks work here.

The Greener Grid Park will consist of four energy management buildings and eighty battery storage units. The development includes a landscape scheme with woodland planting to provide visual screening and ponds to enhance the biodiversity value of the park.

We are looking to maximise opportunities for local suppliers by collaborating with trade bodies and other business groups. Local suppliers can register for opportunities during construction.

Lucy Kent Project Developer said:

“We are delighted that Redditch Borough Council Planning Committee voted to approve our Greener Grid Park application. The project will help to stabilise the electricity grid which will in turn allow renewable energy to be utilised, and ultimately save consumers money. Statkraft always strive to be a good neighbour and have a track record of using local suppliers where possible. This consent is a great milestone for the project and is helping achieve the UK’s zero carbon target.”

On 27 October 2021, Statkraft presented their Feckenham Greener Grid Park to Redditch Borough Council Planning Committee.

The meeting was productive and the Committee could see the difference the project would make to achieving a stable electricity grid in the UK which is a key step in the UK reaching its Net Zero target.

The Planning Committee agreed to defer the planning decision to allow the Highway Authority and Statkraft to provide further information on the transport route to site, including alternative route options for the project.

To support the Highways Officer in their review, Statkraft have issued a letter containing additional information alongside the below plan. The letter provides clarification on all of the route options Statkraft have considered based on a number of factors including suitability of roads and minimising any impact on the local community. Statkraft have also committed to avoiding certain routes during school pick up and drop off times based on the feedback received at the Planning Committee.

We would like to reassure the community that we have carefully considered all of the options .For more information on the access routes being discussed you can review the below plan or view the full letter here.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch via email to UKProjects@statkraft.com or through the website.

For the sixth consecutive year, Statkraft have released its Low Emissions Scenario - an analysis of the energy world towards 2050.

The Scenario covers the energy transition necessary to move towards a low emissions world.

It finds that renewable energy and electrification are the main solutions to decarbonisation, with green hydrogen playing a key role in industry and heavy transport.

Currently, the Earth’s temperature is 1.1 degrees warmer than it was during pre-industrial times, and we are already seeing the effects of climate change in the form of extreme heat, wildfires, and violent floods. The UN Climate Panel’s sixth report, released in August 2021, made us even more acutely aware of how a temperature increase of two, three and four degrees will have dramatic consequences for our planet. Two degrees is simply too much - we need to limit global warming to a level as far down towards 1.5 degrees as possible.

As we face the challenge ahead, it is also important to look back and celebrate achievements:

• Global sales of battery electric cars increased by 40%, even though total car sales fell in 2020.
• 2020 had a record-high buildout of solar and wind power.
• Green investments increased in 2020 despite the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. Investment in renewable power was (7%) higher in 2020 than in 2019.

We must work together to make strides to meet our climate targets which include making solar power the world’s largest power source as early as 2035, ensuring green hydrogen plays a key role in industry and heavy transport sector and using renewable energy and electrification as a main solution for decarbonisation.

Read the full report on the Statkraft website.

Thank you to all residents and interested groups who took the time to engage with our consultation regarding our planning application for Feceknham Greener Grid Park. We appreciate all your feedback and questions about the project and where we have been able to we have incorporated this in to the project.

Our planning application was submitted to Redditch Borough Council in Feburary 2021.  We expect the project to go to Planning Committee on the 27^th October 2021.    

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions about the project, we would be happy to hear from you. 

Statkraft have been progressing our plans and are happy to announce we are moving forward with submitting our planning application in June for our Greener Grid Park, east of Feckenham Substation. We have laid out some key points below to address concerns that members of the community may have.

Traffic

We understand there is some concern regarding the number of vehicles that will be on the roads in the local area and would like to offer some clarification around this topic.

The number of round trips would be less than thirty per day with 29 vehicles on site in the peak construction periods (the busiest period of construction).

The peak construction periods are expected in months 1-3 and 8-9. The overall construction period is expected to last up to 18 months.

Following discussions with the local community and to address their concerns all HGV deliveries will approach the site via Rockhill Lane avoiding Church Road (and Astwood Lane in Astwood Bank) and Feckenham village.

Find more information in our in our transport report here.

Safety

Safety management is a fundamental feature of our Greener Grid Parks. Everything is done to prevent, mitigate and protect against potential hazards. Safety incidents are, on the whole, extremely rare.

Our Teams develop and operate BESS units to very high international safety standards. The safety of people working on BESS sites and those living nearby is our highest priority. Lithium-ion batteries are used safely and securely in countries across the world, on countless sites.

There are a number of measures we take to prevent, mitigate and protect against potential hazards of Greener Grid Park projects:

Monitoring – there are several layers of monitoring with every cell and whole unit being constantly monitored for changes by a Battery Monitoring System (BMS). The BMS adjust the conditions automatically to ensure the batteries are operating safely and optimally.

The BMS also works to identify problems before they occur. It allows the operators to know the health of the individual battery cells so that any deterioration or fault can be detected, and appropriate maintenance carried out.

Cooling - Energy storage systems contain cooling and ventilation systems. These maintain the batteries at a stable operating temperature and remove excess heat in the event of potential overheating.

Protection- In the unlikely event of a problem occurring and the BMS failing to prevent it, energy storage systems have additional design measures such as alarms, fire detection and suppression systems. These suppression systems use techniques such as inert gas, foam suppression, fire sprinklers or water mist etc. to control fires. Battery energy storage project developers also work with the local Council, first responders and fire services in advance of the construction project’s to ensure they understand the technologies used in a storage facility and how best to work together to deal with any problem that might arise.

To provide an additional layer of protection, batteries for energy storage systems are also generally housed in separate containers. This reduces the risk of a problem in one container spreading to the rest of the facility.

You can find more information on the safety measures we use on our Greener Grid projects in our Greener Grid Safety Report.

Visual Impact

Statkraft is committed to limiting the visual impacts of our projects where possible. Our Greener Grid Park near Feckenham will retain a large number of established trees, hedges and ponds. In addition to this we can confirm that we will also be undertaking significant biodiversity enhancement at the site including planting of native woodland and hedgerows and a new pond to encourage habitat diversity.

Noise

Noise levels will be set by the council when planning permission is granted. The council will be provided with noise studies to assist them in setting the level. The project will not exceed these limits. The equipment will be clad in noise insulating materials to assist with limiting noise.

We are pleased to announce that plans for a proposed Greener Grid Park near Feckenham have been submitted to Redditch Borough Council.

Located immediately east of the Feckenham National Grid Substation, the proposal will help decarbonise the UK’s energy sector by allowing the grid to better adopt renewable energy and provide a low emissions alternative to traditional fossil fuel generation. The proposal consists of two energy management system buildings and 40 containerised battery storage units, with associated infrastructure.

The development includes a landscape scheme with woodland planting to provide visual screening and ponds to enhance the biodiversity value of the site. The application is available to view on the Redditch Borough Council website and includes a full set of planning drawings, a Planning, Design and Access Statement and technical reports.

If the project is consented, we intend to work with trade bodies and other business groups to maximise opportunities for local suppliers during construction.

As Europe’s largest provider of renewable energy, Statkraft is at the forefront of delivering new, innovative projects that decarbonise the grid and reduce customer costs. Statkraft was awarded contracts with National Grid ESO in January 2020 for two similar projects in Lister Drive, Liverpool and Keith, Scotland.

View the planning application documents on the council website.

We encourage you to register on this website to receive project updates.

Wildfires which devastated much of the Moray countryside in the north of Scotland last year have led to increased environmental benefits being proposed by Europe’s largest renewable energy producer.

Work on Statkraft’s proposed extension to the Berry Burn Wind Farm, near Forres, has been shortlisted for the Outstanding Project Award, at the Scottish Renewables ‘Green Energy Awards’. In April 2019, a catastrophic wildfire spread throughout the site causing damage to precious habitats and threatening the project all together. The fire burnt for over a week and it took some time to ensure that peat fires were extinguished, and safe access could be allowed.

Unfortunately, the habitats and vegetation across a large area - including the entire proposed extension area – were utterly devastated.

Experts from ecological consultancy Avian Ecology worked tirelessly to ensure the project could continue by working with NatureScot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage) and the local community to find ways to restore and then enhance the biodiversity of the site.

Avian Ecology mapped out an engagement approach, with a high emphasis on early and on-going consultation with NatureScot to deliver an innovative habitat management plan that would bring a biodiversity net gain to the fire-damaged area, helping to turn around the catastrophe. In addition, they proposed measures to prevent the spreading of future wildfires, reducing the chance of such extensive damage reoccurring. The plan was carefully designed so as to provide improved peatland habitats for wildlife and carbon storage, providing clear benefits over and above those already in place for the operational Berry Burn Wind Farm.

That work has now been recognised for its quality with the shortlisting for the prestigious Green Energy Awards.

Mícheál Ó Broin, Senior Development Manager at Statkraft said: “Avian Ecology has exceeded our expectations. Their innovative ideas to minimise impacts to the natural environment is paramount in this industry as we work towards our ambitious net-zero target. We are delighted that this project partnership is getting the recognition it deserves.”

Howard Fearn, Director at Avian Ecology Limited said: “The devastating wildfire of April 2019 significantly impeded our normal process to survey and assess ecological impacts of the proposed extension. An entirely new approach was required, and we recognised this as an opportunity to increase the environmental benefits the project could deliver. It required innovative thinking and a close-working relationship with NatureScot. The wind farm extension would enable a significant biodiversity gain through improving peat habitats, accelerating recovery from fire damage and reducing damage from future wildfires.”

Due to Covid-19, this year’s Awards event will be held online on Thursday 26 November.

The Committee’s 2020 report to Parliament assesses progress in reducing UK emissions over the past year.

This year, the report includes new advice to the UK Government on securing a green and resilient recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic. It recommends that Ministers seize the opportunity to turn the COVID-19 crisis into a defining moment in the fight against climate change. For the first time, the Committee sets out its recommendations Government department by Government department.

The power sector has been a major success story in the past decade. Emissions have decreased around 62% over the period 2008 – 2018 reflecting real decarbonisation of energy produced in the UK.

One key finding from the report is further strengthening of the energy network - this is where our Greener Grid Parks fit in. Contact us to discuss this project further, we look forward to hearing from you.

Statkraft, Europe's largest generator of renewable energy, have notified local residents and community leaders of a new proposal in the area to improve the grid network.

Located east of the existing Feckenham National Grid Substation, the site has been selected due to its proximity to Feckenham North National Grid Substation, preventing the need for lengthy transmission cables. View the Location Plan.

A consultation on the project will take place between 25 September – 23 October 2020, and will enable those interested to find out more and have their say before a planning application is submitted to Redditch Council.

Project Manager Lucy Kent says: "This is a vital project that will help the UK achieve its target of zero carbon emissions by 2050. This new technology will mean GB's energy system will be able to handle increasing amounts of renewable energy without relying on coal and gas fired turbines."

As well as supporting the transition to renewable energy and balancing the grid, the development will also deliver the following benefits:

• Retention of existing trees, hedges and ponds
• Additional landscaping including hedge and tree planting around the site boundaries
• The creation of a new pond to store surface water and deliver habitat improvements for wildlife
• A significant ‘net gain’ in biodiversity as a result of the landscape scheme and new ponds
• ‘Betterment’ in terms of surface water drainage, in an area which is vulnerable to flooding by storing more surface water on site and releasing slowly into the surrounding environment than at present.