Developers Fidra and Innova secure planning consent for two UK BESS, totalling over 5GWh

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Developers Fidra Energy and Innova have secured planning consent for two large-scale BESS projects in the UK, which together total 2,425MW/5,150MWh of energy storage capacity.

Council approves Fidra Energy’s 1.4GW Thorpe Marsh BESS

Edinburgh-headquartered Fidra Energy has received planning consent for its first battery storage site at Thorpe Marsh, Yorkshire, northern England.

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Doncaster Council approved the 1,400MW/3,100MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project, which will be the largest in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. The facility is being developed on 55 acres of land that was part of a former coal station site and is adjacent to an existing substation.

Sungrow will supply containers of lithium-ion based battery systems as part of a strategic agreement the two companies signed in November. Sungrow will also provide its liquid-cooled Power-Titan 2.0 BESS units for Fidra Energy’s 500MW/1GWh West Burton C project, at which construction is set to begin in 2026.

Fidra Energy was launched by energy investment firm EIG in September 2024, aiming at a 10GW operational portfolio across the UK and Europe by 2030. Its UK development pipeline sits at 3.15GW and, as well as Thorpe Marsh (formerly owned by Banks Renewables) and West Burton C, includes the 1.2GW Bicker Fen 1&2 project in the East Midlands, and Nottinghamshire’s 500MW West Burton C development. 

See the full original version of this article on Solar Power Portal.

Renewable energy developer Innova has been granted full planning consent for a 49.9MW solar development with significant co-located energy storage capacity near Doncaster.

Doncaster Council granted full permission for the Almhome Energy Hub project, which is set to be located in Almhome, a hamlet 4.4 miles north of the city of Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Alongside the 49.9MW solar installation planned for the 173-acre site, the development will feature a 1.025GW/2.05GWh BESS, which Innova states is the second largest BESS project to gain planning consent to date in the UK.

Planning documentation indicates that 894 BESS containers will be installed on the site, alongside a large number of solar panels utilising bifacial photovoltaic cells. Bifacial solar panels can produce as much as 10-20% more power than traditional monofacial setups, and Innova’s planning application states that the panels will also help minimise solar glare for the surrounding site. 

See the full original version of this article on Solar Power Portal.

3 June 2025
Stuttgart, Germany
Held alongside the Battery Show Expo Europe in Stuttgart, Energy Storage Germany spotlights Germany’s rapid ascent in the European storage sector. Once driven by residential demand, utility-scale projects are now surging, with 184 MW added across 44 projects in 2023. With nearly 16 GWh of capacity installed in the first half of 2024, Germany is set to integrate 24 GW of utility-scale energy storage by 2037, creating substantial opportunities.
14 October 2025
London, UK
The UK & Ireland is the most mature and established energy storage market in Europe, with just over 5GW of total operational capacity at the start of 2025. With over 130GW in the pipeline for the UK and Ireland, the growth potential of this market is immense. With this in mind, everyone is asking, ‘how best to maximise battery assets?’ This event has established itself as a key industry platform, bringing together asset owners with the experts who can provide the answers – from optimisers and software providers to O&M specialists and more. The summit will equip the industry for the future, delving into the key pillars of asset management, exploring operational challenges, and spotlighting the latest developments in optimisation and software innovation.
2 December 2025
Rome, Italy
Across two packed days, the Summit focused on three core themes: revenue & trading, the lifecycle of the battery, and optimisation tools. Attendees explored innovative strategies for enhancing asset performance and longevity, with a spotlight on key markets like Germany, Italy, and the UK. Stay tuned for details on the 2025 edition of the Battery Asset Management Summit Europe, where we’ll continue to chart the path forward for energy storage asset management.
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InterContinental London - The O2, London, UK
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