Penso Power and Luminous Energy, partners in the Welbar Energy Storage joint venture, have secured full planning approval for a 350 MW connection capacity battery storage development at Hams Hall, east of Birmingham, UK.

The Hams Hall site has a 350 MW transmission network connection, and the approved design allows for deployment of more than 1750 MWh of battery storage. The Hams Hall project is expected to provide a broad range of services to support the UK electricity system including potentially longer duration services, with scope for more than five hours duration.

Hams Hall is part of a large pipeline of projects that BW Group committed to fund under the agreement that it announced with Penso Power in October 2021. Penso Power, Luminous Energy, and BW Group will become joint shareholders in the development, with Penso Power overseeing the project’s deployment and managing the project once it is operational.

Richard Thwaites, Chief Executive of Penso Power said: “We are pleased that planning has been secured for Hams Hall, an important project in our multi-gigawatt pipeline. This project is globally significant in scale, and we expect it to play an important role in ensuring the resilience of the UK’s electricity system.”

David Bryson of Luminous Energy said: “From our initial site selection through the planning process we have worked closely with the local planning authority, National Grid and local groups. Now more than ever the UK needs to take back control over its energy supply. Energy storage is critical in supplying affordable, clean power, while also enhancing the UK’s grid reliability. This project, one of a pipeline we have in development, will also contribute financially to sustainable and green initiatives locally.”

Erik Strømsø, Managing Director of BW Renewables said: “We would like to congratulate Penso Power and Luminous on the successful development of the Hams Hall project. This marks a milestone in our partnership with Penso Power, and we look forward to bringing this project to energisation, so that it may support the continued transition towards green energy in the UK.”