Battery energy storage system (BESS) developer Balance Power has today (17 April) announced that it has been granted planning permission for a 49.5MW BESS in Staffordshire.
The Hinksford BESS, located in Hinksford, South Staffordshire, is made up of 36 battery units spread across a 2.59 hectare site. The electricity produced by the project is expected to reduce local CO2 emissions by around 18,300 tonnes annually, which is equivalent to taking 13,200 cars off the road. Additionally, the biodiversity improvements laid out in the project are set to deliver a 154.98% increase in habitat units in the area.
South Staffordshire Council approved the project in a unanimous decision following an extensive consultation process with the local community. Planning approval was granted for a 40-year operational lifespan, after which time the system will be dismantled and the land restored.
While a start date for the commencement of construction has not yet been confirmed, the developer states that it expects the BESS to be operational by autumn of next year.
Dan Levy, planning manager at Balance Power said the project will be “pivotal” in balancing the grid in the area. He went on to thank South Staffordshire Council and the local community for their support in getting the approval granted, adding: “It’s due to our collective efforts and close collaboration that we’ve achieved this rewarding outcome.”
Balance Power currently has a 2GW development pipeline in the UK, and since its launch in 2017, has successfully advanced almost 40 projects to planning consent. The developer secured several significant planning approvals in 2024, including one for a 99MW/99MWh BESS in Iron Acton, South Gloucestershire, for which the firm has stated it is currently negotiating an expedited grid connection date with National Grid.
That same month, Balance Power also announced that it had been granted development consent for a 49.5MW/99MWh BESS project in Leicestershire, which is expected to be fully energised by October of this year.
In July 2024, Balance Power secured a £5.1 million debt facility with investment manager Triple Point in order to boost Balance’s solar and BESS developments in the UK. Part of this finance package is being used to acquire the 6MWp Roborough project from Regener8 Power, a solar PV development which is located near Plymouth in the South West of England.
The partnership between Balance Power and Triple Point marks the first time the two firms have worked together.
