Over 1,300 six-meter-long batteries may soon be a feature of the Lincolnshire landscape. A Battery Energy Storage System – or battery farm – is planned for the rural land about seven miles south of Lincoln. The proposed Brant Energy Storage site, if approved, would sprawl across four fields to the west of Coleby village, on Hill Rise. The ambitious project aims to store electricity generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind energy until required for the national grid. Initial proposals outline between 1,300 and 1,600 lithium-ion phosphate batteries, each to be housed in six-meter-long, three-meter-high containers. The battery farm would also include a substation and three tanks capable of storing tens of thousands of litres of water. At its peak, the battery farm could store up to 1GW of energy, sufficient to power around half a million homes. Navenby Energy Ltd, a subsidiary of renewable energy company NatPower UK, is behind the proposal. They believe the Brant Energy Storage project will bolster the security and resilience of the East Midlands energy system and the wider national grid, supporting the growth of renewable power. The batteries could potentially remain in place for up to 40 years, after which the land would be returned to agricultural use. A full planning application is expected later this year, with the developer currently seeking advice from North Kesteven District Council. However, concerns have been raised about the safety of Battery Energy Storage System technology due to incidents of uncontrollable fires or ‘thermal runaways’. The companies involved assure that such events are rare and that all necessary precautions will be implemented.
This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk.
