UK-based renewables developer Firstway Energy has received planning consent for two new battery energy storage system (BESS) projects with a combined capacity of 200 megawatts, further expanding its pipeline of grid-scale storage developments.
The approvals, granted by Torridge District Council and City of York Council, cover a 100MW facility at Gammaton Barton in Bideford and a second 100MW installation at Murton Way in York. Each project is designed to provide up to two hours of energy storage duration, contributing to greater grid flexibility and reliability.
These projects represent Firstway Energy’s 10th and 11th planning approvals for BESS infrastructure in the past year, bringing its total consented pipeline to over 1,070MW.
“Both decisions reflect the weight of national and local policy support for infrastructure which supports the transition to clean energy and the recognition by decisionmakers of the widespread public benefit which these projects deliver,” said Steven Gough, Firstway Energy’s planning director.
Battery energy storage systems play a key role in balancing supply and demand on the electricity grid, particularly as the UK increases its reliance on intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. By storing excess electricity during periods of low demand and releasing it when needed, BESS projects support overall grid stability and efficiency.
Firstway said it is continuing to engage with distribution network operators and the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to streamline grid connection processes. The company aims to bring both projects online before 2029.
