Preparatory consultation begins into plans to invest £224 million in solar battery storage site.

Renewable energy company RES is looking to create the vast solar battery project near to the West Burton Power Station.

Battery Storage

The solar and storage project of up to 600MW is near to West Burton Power Station and in Sturton-le-Steeple, Nottinghamshire. It is thought the land could support up to 400MW of solar energy generation and 200MW of battery storage.

The 'Steeple Renewables Project' could be capable of producing clean, green electricity for more than 150,000 homes a year. This is equivalent to around 45 per cent of all homes in Nottinghamshire.

RES said the scheme would create up to 400 jobs over the 24-month build programme, and would also allow agricultural use of the land to continue once it was running.

Nationally Significant

Due to the amount of renewable energy that could be generated, it is anticipated that Steeple Renewables Project will be considered a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project requiring a Development Consent Order.

The early informal consultation will run for six weeks from Monday 23 October until Monday 4 December 2023.

RES project manager Will Bridges said: "Our plans are at an early stage, with ongoing technical work taking place to fully understand the suitability of the site.

"We want to involve the local community from the outset and are undertaking this early informal consultation to introduce the plans and invite early feedback.

"This renewable energy project, alongside other proposals, embraces the historic role that the area has played in powering the UK.

"We believe there is an opportunity to build on this legacy and ensure that Nottinghamshire continues to play an important role in the UK’s future energy generation.

"We’d encourage local residents to provide their feedback on our early plans by attending one of our in-person events or visiting the project website."

The development would represent a £224m investment during construction, creating 400 jobs over the 24-month build programme.

RES project manager Will Bridges said:

“This renewable energy project, alongside other proposals, embraces the historic role that the area has played in powering the UK.

"We believe there is an opportunity to build on this legacy and ensure that Nottinghamshire continues to play an important role in the UK’s future energy generation.”