Battery Rack
The battery rack in our Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) securely holds and organizes modules, ensuring alignment, easy installation, and maintenance. It also optimizes airflow for peak performance.
Buxton Road BESS
- 20MW Capacity
- 355,000 Tonnes of carbon saved
- 60,000 Homes powered per hour
- 30 years Lifespan of project
Headquarters
Buxton Road, Wormhill, Dove Holes, Derbyshire, SK17 7HR
53°18`N 1°53´W
Emails
We are proposing to build a 20MW Battery Energy Storage System on Buxton Road, located northeast of Buxton
About the project
This project will provide essential services to the local electricity distribution network, ensuring a consistent supply of clean and cost-effective electricity for homes, businesses, and industries.
As the UK transitions to renewable energy sources like solar and wind, our BESS site will store energy from these renewables and release it when it’s most needed, helping to balance supply and demand.
The UK government estimates that battery storage systems, which facilitate the integration of low-carbon power and reduce the carbon and cost impact of operating the electricity network, could save the UK energy system up to £40 billion by 2050. This will ultimately help reduce energy bills for everyone.
Lithium Ion Battery Pack
The powerhouse of our BESS is the lithium-ion battery pack. Comprising numerous individual lithium-ion cells, this pack stores and supplies electrical energy with exceptional efficiency. Renowned for their high energy density and long cycle life, these battery packs are perfectly suited for large-scale energy storage, ensuring reliable and sustained power supply whenever it’s needed most.
BMS (Battery management system)
The Battery Management System (BMS) monitors and controls the state of each battery cell, ensuring safe operation, preventing overheating, and managing charge levels. It is essential for maximizing battery life and maintaining ideal performance.
HVAC System
A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system that maintains optimal temperatures for the operation of batteries and other sensitive equipment.
Fire Supression System
A fire protection system that detects and ensures safety in situations of overheating or fire risk.
AC
A type of electrical current where the magnitude and flow of electrons vary over time. BESS systems store energy as direct current, so they include inverters to convert the energy to alternating current, allowing its use in conventional applications and facilitating integration into the electrical grid.
Container
A modular structure designed to house all components of the energy storage system, providing physical protection and controlled conditions for its operation.
Indicative timeline for Buxton Road BESS
FAQs
BESS sites are under frequent scrutiny regarding fire safety, due to the large quantities of lithium-ion batteries in a confined space. Fire mitigation is therefore at the forefront of considerations at all sites like this one. The National Fire Chiefs Council provide the following advice to all developers of BESS sites. The summary of fire safety measures are as follows:
Engagement with local fire authority and planning authority with emergency response plans, fire water management strategies and fire safety management plans
Separation distances or thermal barriers between all equipment, including the battery containers
Fire detection, monitoring and prevention systems installed within all battery modules
Sufficient ventilation (cooling fans) to maintain temperatures for all potential scenarios
Water supply – onsite to meet the demand of the local fire authority, e.g. hydrants or water tanks
Multiple access routes and space within compounds to ensure fire engines have access to and within the site
Grenergy have taken all advice on-board to produce a design which aligns with this guidance and is detailed in the documents submitted with the full planning application.
There will be several large vehicle movements during the construction of the project. Through careful route planning and traffic management, we will work to minimise the impact to the local community. Once the site is operational, site traffic will be reduced to roughly 1-2 vans per week. A full Construction Transport Management Plan is to be submitted with the planning application.
The batteries themselves produce very little noise, however, cooling fans are required to maintain the batteries at the correct temperature emit some noise. With any planning application a detailed noise assessment is completed to ensure the plant causes no detriment to local sound levels.
BESS sites are predominately made of shipping containers, roughly 2.5m high, and can be screened relatively easily using bunding and landscaping methods, such as trees and hedgerows. The most likely part of the site to be visible will be the electrical infrastructure from the onsite substation, which will have an appearance not uncommon with the backdrop landscape. A Landscape Visual Impact Assessment will be submitted with the full planning application to assess any visual impact.
We are committed to delivering a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain through native planting, such as wildflowers, hedgerow restoration, and woodland installation to support local wildlife and habitats. Additionally, we aim to establish a community benefit fund to support local causes and organizations, providing direct investment into the community.
Once planning consent is secured and Grenergy have the green light from National Grid to proceed with the project then typically it takes 9 months to construct a plant including civil and electrical work, then it should follow a 30 year lifespan before a decommissioning period of around 6 months.
The concentration of similar projects in this area is due to the suitability of the Kitwell substation for accommodating such developments. The location of renewable energy projects, including BESS, solar, and wind, depends on the availability of connection points to the electricity network. As renewable energy development increases, so does the demand for BESS to store surplus energy, dispense it as needed, and enhance grid stability.
We chose this site because of its proximity to a viable connection point in the grid network, with Stalybridge offering the capacity for a timely and cost-effective connection. This directly impacts the affordability of electricity supplied to end users.
To identify the most suitable location for the project, we conducted a detailed site assessment of the area surrounding the National Grid substation. We evaluated several factors, including proximity to the national transmission system, potential impacts on sensitive receptors such as residential or ecological sites, planning restrictions, topography, and ground conditions. After thoroughly assessing all options, we determined that this site was the most appropriate in every respect.