Plans for battery storage system next to retail park resubmitted

A previous planning application was submitted last year by applicant Power Initiative Ltd but was refused.

Walsall Council’s planning department said the reasons for the refusal were a lack of information about fire and explosion safety measures, the risk of flooding and the negative impact on the appearance of the building.

The primary function of battery storage systems is to store electrical energy for use during power fluctuations or blackouts. The proposed project would be located on a 0.98 hectare site between the Sainsbury’s car park and Dunelm on Reedswood Retail Park.

In addition to the storage facility, the proposals also include underground cabling, a water tower, security fencing, a CCTV monitoring system and an access road.

Agent Aardvark EM Ltd said: “The local development plan places emphasis on the principles of sustainable development, which are the basis of the planning system, as well as on prioritising economic, social and environmental issues.

“Some renewables (such as wind, solar, and tidal) are volatile and cannot be matched to demand. As a result, the more renewables we have, the more energy storage we will need to provide a back-up during periods when the availability of volatile renewables is low.”