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PLANS have been submitted to build a multi-million-pound battery storage facility at the Teesworks development on Teesside.
More than 100 jobs will be supported by the proposed development from battery storage specialist Energy Optimisation Solutions (EOS).
If planning permission is granted by Redcar & Cleveland Council, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) will be built on a three-acre plot at the Long Acres section of the 2,500 acre Teesworks site on the south bank of the River Tees.
The £62m facility will enable up to 100 Megawatts (MW) of additional green energy to be plugged into the grid.
Over the course of a year, the EOS facility will help cut carbon emissions by 4,000 metric tons – the equivalent of driving a car 11.6 million kilometres or 289 times around the world.
Battery storage technology is essential to speeding up the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy.
Battery energy storage systems enable energy from renewables, like solar and wind, to be stored and then released when the power is needed most.
This helps to ensure homes and businesses can be powered by green energy, even when the sun isn’t shining or the wind has stopped blowing.
Peter Walker, director at EOS, said: “We’re really looking forward to coming to Teesworks and are hopeful that our plans meet with approval.
“With so much renewable energy development planned for the site, such a supportive environment and such an experienced team in charge, it makes for the ideal location for our next battery storage facility.
“If we as a country are going to hit our Net Zero ambitions then energy storage is absolutely essential.
“You can store water in reservoirs and gas in gasometers and in LPG form so you can use those resources when you need them. Battery storage systems mean that you can do the same thing with electricity generated from renewable sources.”
If planning permission is granted, it is anticipated that building the battery storage facility will take around 12 months in total and will support over 100 jobs in the construction sector.
EOS has a number of battery storage projects already under way in the UK, including a 230MW facility at Newport in South Wales.
The planned site for the EOS facility is at the south west corner of the Teesworks site.
It adjoins the area where hydrogen production facilities HyGreen Teesside and H2 Teesside and the Net Zero Teesside project are being planned to be built.
Led by bp and aiming to start production in 2026, HyGreen Teesside is planned to be one of the UK’s biggest green hydrogen facilities.
H2 Teesside, again led by bp, is planned to be one of the UK’s largest blue hydrogen production facilities, potentially supplying over 10 per cent of the UK government’s ambition for 10GW of hydrogen by 2030.
Net Zero Teesside Power aims to be one of the world’s first commercial scale gas-fired power stations with carbon capture and storage, and the hub of a decarbonised group of industries on Teesside.
Teesworks Limited Chairman Chris Musgrave said: “Battery energy storage is another key piece in the clean energy mix at Teesworks, helping to ensure that energy needs can be met from renewable sources regardless of weather conditions.
“We look forward to working with the team at EOS on this project if the proposals are approved.”
