Pacific Green has achieved major milestones in the construction of its 373.5 MWh Sheaf Energy Park in Kent, England.
The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project, developed on the brownfield site of the former Richborough coal-fired power station, will serve as a vital asset for energy storage and transmission, supporting the Nemo Link interconnector with Belgium and the nearby Thanet Offshore Wind Farm.
The Sheaf Energy Park is a partnership between Pacific Green and Sosteneo, the asset owner. Once completed, the park will complement the operational 100MW/100MWh Richborough Energy Park and provide a major hub for energy storage in Britain. With site preparation and groundwork now complete, Pacific Green has recently installed the first of 34 Power Conversion Systems (PCS) containers, following the delivery of 68 containers following successful Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT).
Future plans include the installation of 135 liquid-cooled LFP battery containers, which will follow a ‘just-in-time’ approach to ensure smooth integration into the electricity grid prior to the activation phase.
In November 2023, the Sheaf Energy Park project secured a combined £123.5 million facility to support its construction. The facility consisted of a £120 million capex loan and a £3.5 million VAT facility. NatWest and UK Infrastructure Bank (UIB) provided the loan, with each having a 50% stakeIle NatWest solely financed the VAT facility.
Christo Hammes, Chief Operating Officer at Pacific Green, said: “Situated on a former industrial estate and with an excellent grid connection, Sheaf Energy Park will be a strategic asset to the UK energy network – and in many ways is a true symbol of the energy transition. Combined with Richborough Energy Park, this project embodies Pacific Green’s commitment to energy storage in the UK and lays the foundation for future growth.”
“We are pleased with the progress to date as we have achieved some of our key development milestones, and we are committed to maintaining dialogue with our stakeholders and the community as we commission the project next year.”
The transformation of the site into a green energy hub, previously a coal-fired power station, is an important step in the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Social involvement is a cornerstone of the project. The development will prioritize local concerns and promote biodiversity, including rewilding 10,000 m² of land, removing contaminated landfills and achieving a claimed net biodiversity gain of 14.91%.
As the project moves closer to occupancy in 2025, Pacific Green will continue to oversee construction and operations under its partnership with Sosteneo, which acquired the site in late 2023. Once operational, SSE Energy Supply Limited (SSE) will provide optimization services for the Sheaf Energy Park, ensuring long-term efficiency and performance over a 10-year period.
