Planning permission for a 200MW/400MWh, Battery Energy Storage System has been granted by Cumberland Council after the application was unanimously approved by the Council’s planning committee.
The project, jointly developed by Recurrent Energy and Windel Energy, will see the construction & energisation of a 200MW/400MWh, Battery Energy Storage System, with associated infrastructure and which will be situated between the villages of Todhills and Westlinton in Carlisle. The system will be connected to the nearby Harker National Grid Substation via an underground 400kV cable, which is anticipated to be buried in the adopted highway.
The planning application follows a successful consultation period where support for the proposal was indicated following meetings with various key stakeholders, occupiers of nearby residential properties and parish councils. This was aided by the development of a dedicated project website, extensive landscaping delivered via an earth bunding to provide robust visual and noise mitigation, extensive acoustic fencing surrounding the infrastructure to limit noise impact to surrounding properties, the provision of detailed battery storage FAQs and the implementation of on-site habitat enhancements & creation to deliver a 23% Biodiversity Net Gain.
Jamie Knott, Managing Director at Windel Energy said: “We are delighted to receive planning consent for this project and it is a testament to our ongoing commitment to deliver a more sustainable future for the generations that follow. Cumberland Council clearly recognise the need for the project, and we have enjoyed working alongside them to ensure that the project we deliver is technically and environmentally acceptable, while supporting a decarbonised electricity network and the delivery of tangible local benefits.”
Harry Wilder, Head of Business Development UK at Recurrent Energy said: “The consenting of the Harker 200MW/400MWh project marks a momentous moment for Recurrent Energy in the UK. It is our first Battery Energy Storage System to reach this milestone both with our development partner Windel Energy and in our wider multi-GW portfolio of Energy Storage. Recurrent Energy is committed in our mission, and the deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems are crucial to the successful role out of clean, green renewable generation which is necessary to meet the UK’s globally leading climate goals and secure the future of generations to come.”
The Harker site comprises three fields, measuring approximately 6.4 hectares and will include approximately 162 battery container units. The site is anticipated to start construction in Q4 2029 – subject to a grid connection date which is currently under review for acceleration with National Grid. On completion the owner will provide a local community benefit fund of £200,000 for the parish councils to draw from and invest in the community as appropriate.
Founded in 2018, Windel Energy is a privately held company, specialising in the origination, development and asset management of renewable energy projects and low carbon disruptive technologies. Windel Energy has more than 1.5 gigawatts of clean, renewable solar power, 3 gigawatts of battery energy storage and 150MW of onshore wind at various stages of development.
Recurrent Energy is one of the world’s largest and most geographically diversified utility-scale solar and energy storage project development, ownership, and operations platforms. With an industry-leading team of in-house energy experts, Recurrent Energy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc. and functions as Canadian Solar’s global development and power services business. To date Recurrent Energy has completed nine gigawatts of operating solar projects and three gigawatt hours of energy storage projects across six continents.
