Plans lodged for battery farm on city outskirts
Norfolk County Council has written to energy secretary Ed Miliband asking for training and equipment for fire services to be funded in areas where large battery farms are planned.
Strong objections were received to a battery energy storage system (Bess) in the south of the county, near Diss, leading to plans being withdrawn.
However, a new application has been lodged for a Bess to be built on 18 acres (seven hectares) of farmland, the equivalent of about 12 football pitches, on the southern outskirts of Norwich.
Greenfield Energy Developments has lodged the plans with South Norfolk Council for the site close to the A47, between the village of Keswick and the Harford Park and Ride.
The Bess, on land east of Mulbarton Road, would hold up to 400MW of electricity in 166 containers.
Norfolk could become the biggest solar energy producer in the country if a handful of major schemes go ahead and it is expected that new battery storage sites will be required to support these.
However, Bess proposals have also promted worries about potential fire risks because of the lithium within the batteries, which can cause an explosion when overheated.
County councillors voted overwhelmingly in favour of writing to Mr Miliband about the fire safety concerns, although the Green group warned about "scaremongering".
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokeswoman told the BBC: "Battery fires at storage sites are rare in the UK and we already have high safety standards in place to ensure batteries are safe throughout their lifespan."
The Keswick plans would include a cooling and fire protection system and a fire suppression system.
The plans state that the energy storage units will be almost 2.9m (9.5ft) in height due to having noise reducing units on top of them.
However, the scheme remains in the early stages and its developers are seeking guidance from South Norfolk Council about the potential environment impact.
Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has already responded to the plans advising that a series of conditions are put in place, including safe distances between units and the need for an access route for fire vehicles.
The project has emerged after plans for a similar scheme in Rushall, near Diss, were withdrawn without explanation last month amid a host of objections.
That project was for a site five times the size, about 92 acres (37.5 hectares), for 1,035 units which could store up to 900 megawatts of electricity.
Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Related stories
Council urges action over battery farm fire fears
Energy storage system plan for farmland suspended
MP warns against 'carpeting' area with solar farms
Related internet links
Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service
South Norfolk Council
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Why Jacob Ramsey Could Be Newcastle United's Signing Of The Summer
Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe has very specific way of working, and those who play for him must adhere to certain standards and possess a specific skillset relevant to their position. Finding players who meet the criteria in the current transfer landscape can be difficult, but in midfielder Jacob Ramsey, Newcastle might just have found its signing of the summer. Ramsey has just turned 24 and has long been admired by Howe and Newcastle's recruitment team. It is easy to see why; he's versatile, energetic, power and progresses the ball superbly in attack from either the left wing or midfield areas. But it is one thing liking a player, it is another recruiting them. Ramsey has long felt unattainable at Newcastle because of his age, ties to Villa and importance to the set up under Unai Emery. The deal was struck very quickly over the last week or so; Villa, like Newcastle, has faced difficulty with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) while looking to strengthen its squad. With only one major signing confirmed this summer, the sale of a major asset always felt likely. One of the cruellest, likely accidental results of PSR is the strong temptation to sell academy products. The rules require clubs to offset spending against earnings, with only profit on sales counting. Because players from academies are developed and cost nothing from the start, any sale will be recorded on the accounts as 100% profit. Many players, like Ramsey, dream of playing for the club they support; in the current climate, that dream will be seen as rare. One of the most romantic things about soccer has been turned into one of the most cynical. Newcastle felt the same sting last summer, when its own young star Elliot Anderson departed for Nottingham Forest when the club faced the prospect of breaching PSR and incurring a points deduction. Both Villa and Newcastle are among the clubs attempting to challenge the Premier League's elite on an annual basis, but feel these rules favour direct rivals. When the teams drew 0-0 at Villa Park on Saturday, both sets of fans chanted together in protest against the Premier League and PSR. Emery directly criticized the rules, while Villa captain John McGinn appeared to blame them when posting on social media about Ramsey's move to St James' Park. But Newcastle is the direct beneficiary in this case, and Ramsey has signed in a £39m ($53m) deal, on a five-year contract. He has spoken of his delight at joining the club, with Champions League qualification secured last season, ironically at Villa's expense. Crucially, just as Ramsey's profile was key to Howe's interest, the coach's reputation made an impression on him. 'This is a big move for me, but as soon as I knew the gaffer was interested and really liked me, it didn't take much time to decide,' Ramsey told the club's official website. "His track record of developing players, especially those who have gone on to become internationals here, speaks for itself. "It was always a tough game playing for Villa against Newcastle - the team is full of energy, so athletic and the fans are so passionate. I feel my game will suit that and I'm excited to be on the other end of it now." Howe loves midfielders who progress the ball and break through defensive lines in transition, but having evolved Newcastle tactically over the past couple of years, being strong in possession is also crucial. Ramsey is in the 97th percentile of all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for pass completion, 93rd percentile for long pass competition and 84th percentile for medium pass completion. Although injuries and form have impacted his output since, in his breakout campaign (2022-23), he scored six goals and assisted seven in 35 Premier League games. In terms of progressive carries, he was in the 91st percentile, and 89th percentile for carries into the penalty area. There have been comparisons with Joe Willock, who at his best has had a major impact on Newcastle's style of play, but he has drifted considerably. Ramsey comes in as competition, and replaces Sean Longstaff after his move to Leeds United, but doubling up on important, definitive skills within the midfield is important. Newcastle's transfer business has slowly been very effective. Although the noise around Alexander Isak is a huge distraction and major targets have been missed, the depth of the squad has been improved immensely. Ramsey will prove himself invaluable when fixtures are piling up and Newcastle is battling in the Champions League and for its place in the competition next season at the same time. An inability to replace players with sufficient quality led to a damaging injury crisis two years ago, and Howe has learnt. Ramsey is a first team level, 'plug in and play' signing that helps avoid a similar situation. Perhaps he doesn't excite everyone, but in Jacob Ramsey, Newcastle have added exactly what it needs.
Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Treasuries Extend Losses Ahead of Key Jackson Hole Powell Speech
By and Carter Johnson Save US Treasuries slipped for a third day as traders shift focus to a highly anticipated speech this week from Jerome Powell for signals on where the Federal Reserve will take interest rates. The benchmark 10-year yield rose two basis points to 4.34%, extending a move that began on Thursday when wholesale inflation jumped the most in three years. Yields across other maturities also moved up a similar amount, tracking a larger jump in UK gilts.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
AI: C3.ai Surges After Landing AI Partnership with Electrobras
Aug 18 - (NYSE:AI) shares moved higher Monday after the company announced a partnership with Brazilian utility Electrobras (NYSE:EBR). The deal marks another step in push to bring artificial intelligence deeper into the energy sector. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Signs with AI. Under the agreement, Electrobras will adopt C3 Generative AI to improve fault monitoring, streamline real-time responses, and enhance operational reporting across its control centers. The move reflects Electrobras' efforts to modernize its grid and improve efficiency at scale. For the win adds a major Latin American utility to its customer list and demonstrates how AI applications can support critical infrastructure. The company continues to position itself as a supplier of enterprise-grade AI tools across industries, including energy, defense, and manufacturing. The collaboration also highlights the growing role of automation in utilities, as companies seek to strengthen grid resilience and minimize costly downtime. Electrobras stock also edged higher on the news, reinforcing investor interest in energy companies leveraging digital solutions. Analysts suggest partnerships like this could provide with broader global visibility and open doors for future utility contracts. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
