Fidra Energy, a European battery energy storage system (BESS) platform headquartered in Edinburgh, has secured planning consent to build and operate its flagship battery storage site at Thorpe Marsh, Yorkshire. The 1,400MW (3,100MWh) project will be one of the largest in Europe.
The project was approved by Doncaster Council on 28 January 2025 and will create jobs during construction and operation of the facility.
It will include the supply of containers of lithium-ion based battery systems by Sungrow which, once completed, is expected to have enough capacity to power up to 800,000 homes during peak hours of electricity demand.
The project is being developed on ~55 acres of land that formed part of a former coal station site and adjacent to an existing National Grid substation. A final investment decision is expected in April 2025 with the first battery systems expected to be operational in early 2027.
Chris Elder, Fidra Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Thorpe Marsh is one of the most exciting infrastructure projects in the world and we are delighted to have achieved this important milestone in its development phase.
“As the largest battery energy storage site in the UK, the project will help turbocharge the UK’s ambitions of achieving a clean power system providing critical flexibility to store energy when there is excess renewable generation and release this when needed.”
Walid Mouawad, Managing Director and Co-Head of Energy Transition at EIG, said: “We are thrilled to see the 1.4GW Thorpe Marsh project reach another critical development milestone. This represents a significant step in EIG’s commitment to advancing large-scale energy assets in the UK and driving the country’s shift to a more sustainable, low-carbon future.”
