09.10.23-Blackdyke-Planning

Press release

Innova celebrates planning permission for Blackdyke Energy Storage Project

9th October 2023

 

Innova are pleased to announce the granting of planning permission for the Blackdyke Farm Energy Storage Project by Cumberland Council, following their planning committee on 27th September.

This is the first of Innova’s large-scale transmission connected energy storage projects to be fully consented, reinforcing its growing portfolio of renewable energy generation sites across the UK.

Blackdyke Farm Energy Storage Project will have a capacity of 400MW — enough to power 940,000 homes for a two-hour period. As such, it will provide the valuable source of energy storage needed to help reach the UK achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Additionally, the site is set to deliver a significant amount of on-site biodiversity net gain (BNG), achieving 121% for habitat units, 29% for hedgerow units and 42% for river units.

Once operational, the project will generate an annual community payment of £20,000 per year to fund local projects and programmes. A further £8,000 will also be donated to charitable causes every year for the lifespan of the project.

 

Ryan Adams, Managing Director of Innova Renewables Developments, said:

 

“Obtaining planning permission for Blackdyke Farm Energy Storage Project is a landmark moment for Innova. At 400MW (or 800MWh), Blackdyke is the largest project we’ve delivered to date and also one of the largest batteries ever to be developed globally.

“This is the first in a total of 26 transmission connections Innova are developing which, subject to planning, will bring a further 23GW of energy projects to the UK in the next
decade and play a significant role in decarbonising our energy system.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Cumberland Council for their engagement throughout the planning process, leading to the quickest planning decision we’ve ever had.”

 

In addition to Cumberland Council, Innova would like to thank the landowners, their representatives and Lichfields planning and development consultancy for their collaboration on this project.

 

Innova are developing one of the largest portfolios of renewable energy generation and storage sites across the United Kingdom with a combined solar and storage capacity in excess of 23GW.

 

Download the press release

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