A 1,000MW battery energy storage system (BESS) to be built next to a data center in Splott, Cardiff, has been unanimously approved by the city council.
It is reportedly the largest BESS to successfully obtain planning permission in Britain to date.
The planning application was submitted in March this year for a 16.42 hectare plot of land in the Tremorfa industrial area, which previously housed the steelworks and sewage treatment plants.
The project, which was recommended for approval, will include 828 highly efficient containerized battery storage units with a substation centrally located in the park. The facility will include tree planting and lower screen planting.
According to planning documents, the BESS will store renewable energy from the National Grid network and the data center which will also be on site aims to be carbon neutral, generating renewable energy on site and importing green energy.
Planning and development consultancy GJP supported the application of Latos Data Center Ltd & Tre Morfa Energy Park Ltd, including providing an environmental impact assessment. Latos’ company website states that it is “taking up the creative and technical challenge” of delivering net zero data centers.
Wales is also home to a 460 MWh BESS, which will be one of the UK’s largest and is being developed by E.ON and Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners. The latter also oversees a 150MW BESS, located next to a 373MW solar farm, which is the largest approved development in Britain.
The land will also house a Root-Power-owned BESS in Glamorgan, for which the BESS developer has submitted a planning application in addition to a UK-wide package totaling 315 MW. The company currently has a 2GW BESS pipeline.
