Plans for battery energy storage project in village near Harborough

Renewable energy developer Aura Power has revealed plans to build a battery storage system that will be able to power 400,000 homes near Braybrooke.

The first stage of consultations with the community will be held on Wednesday and Thursday (March 12 and 13), prior to the submission of a planning application to North Northamptonshire Council (NNC).

The energy facility will cover a field near Harborough Road, directly next to the railway line.

According to the developers, the battery energy capacity will be up to 300 MW. It is immediately next to a large National Grid substation and tall pylons.

Aura Power has also said that the site will have limited visibility from the surrounding area and landscaping features will provide additional screening, as well as the project being set back from nearby residential properties.

The developer has said that compared to a gas peaker, using energy from this storage system would save 117000 tonnes of CO2 each cycle.

Members of the public can have their say by registering for an online drop-in event tomorrow (Wednesday, March 12) at 6pm. A further in-person consultation session will be held at Braybrooke Village Hall on Thursday, March 13, from 4pm to 7pm.

A statement on the Aura Power Braybooke website reads: “The UK has a legally binding target to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050 as well as completely decarbonising the UK’s power supplies by 2035. In order to do this, we need more energy storage systems to deal with intermittent renewable energy generation.

“Battery storage systems, such as this, play a crucial role in the decarbonisation of our electricity network with much-needed increases in renewable energy sources.

"Batteries store excess energy at times of low demand i.e. from a solar farm on a sunny day, and discharge the energy back into the grid when it is needed the most.”

After gaining feedback from the local community, the developers intend to submit a formal planning application to NNC in spring this year.

Another stage of public consultation on the plans will then be carried out by the local authority.

Aura Power says it predicts a decision on the plans by summer 2026, with construction anticipated to begin in 2028 lasting for six to eight months.