Battery plans for land next to rejected Sleaford area solar farm

The 99MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) would be built near Little Hale Fen, between Sleaford and Boston.

North Kesteven planners last week turned down a nearby solar farm scheme which could have powered 14,000 homes, saying it would take up too much prime farmland.

The BESS is from a different developer – Root Power (South) Ltd – but would be in an almost identical location, south of Little Hale Drove.

The battery storage system is designed to store energy when it is plentiful and release it to the Grid when there is demand.

The applicant says it would prevent energy generated from intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind from being lost.

However, there have been fire safety concerns, with other authorities reluctant to grant permission for similar schemes.

This would be the first BESS in North Kesteven, connecting to the Bicker Fen substation.

It would be formed of 12 battery clusters spread across three hectares of farmland, with two water tanks on site for fire safety.

The application seeks permission for 40 years, after which it would be removed.

A similar proposal near Lincoln is currently under consideration by West Lindsey District Council.

One of the major concerns is ‘thermal runaway’, which caused a 59-hour fire at a BESS site in Liverpool in 2020.

The proposed BESS in Little Hale Drove may face similar opposition to the recently-rejected solar farm.

Councillor Lindsey Cawrey (Con) told the committee prior to it rejecting the solar farm: “We can’t justify damaging the environment to protect the environment. We cannot be blind to the cumulative effect on the landscape and food production.”

However, Councillor Robert Oates (Ind) was in favour, saying: “We have a shortage of electricity supply holding back development in this district, and this could supply electricity for every home in Sleaford.”

The BESS application is currently open for public consultation on the council’s website.