Local authorities approved 1,237MW/2,474MWh of grid-scale BESS in the UK, the latest data from our monthly roundup shows.
The figures come from Solar Media Market Research’s Battery Storage: UK Pipeline & Completed Assets Database report, summarised by Energy-Storage.news as part of a monthly series for ESN Premium subscribers.
While still positive, the capacity of approved projects was the second-lowest monthly figure seen in 2025, with only June seeing fewer, at 902MW/1,703MWh of capacity.
The following month was the busiest of the year, with 5,044MW/10,488MWh being consented for construction by local councils and authorities.
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That was probably due to the end of July being the original deadline for submitting evidence as part of regulator Ofgem and National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) reforms to the grid connection queue, though it was extended.
Notable projects that received planning permission in September, reported on by our sister site Solar Power Portal, include a 249MW project in York from developer Aukera and three co-located ones across England totalling 1125MW from Bluefield.
Aukera’s is to be built on green belt land, but the approval was justified by the council on the basis that it was needed for the energy transition.
Statera also landing planning consent for the 500MW East Claydon project, while there were also BESS project approvals for EcoDev Group, Heron Storage and Balance Power.
There were also planning application refusals for BESS projects from EcoDev, Queequeg Renewables and Peel Cubico Renewables.
All-in-all, it means the UK now has a staggering 76.2GW/157.9GWh of grid-scale BESS with planning approval.
While some projects were announced as coming online, the Database tracks project by completion of construction, so no projects were recorded as becoming operational in September. The UK ended the month with 7,632MW/11,455MWh of operational capacity.
See all the past monthly UK BESS activity roundups in 2025 here.
