Plans have been submitted to build a new battery storage facility in South Yorkshire

Plans have been submitted to build a new battery storage facility in South Yorkshire. The YLEM Energy Group wants to develop this facility on land near Brinsworth Road in Rotherham, which is currently used for horses. The project includes battery clusters, a site office, and a substation within a fenced area.

Local residents can share their thoughts on the plan until 17 October on Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council's website.

The facility will store electricity during times of low demand and release it when demand is higher. This system will help make renewable energy, like wind power, more efficient. The chosen site is close to a grid connection point, which will help provide important services to support the UK's goal of reaching Net Zero.

Sarah Lightfoot, head of development at YLEM Energy Group, said the facility could power over 80,000 homes once completed.

Between 2015 and 2021, the UK lost more than 13% of the wind energy it generated. If approved, the site will operate for 30 years before being returned to open green space. Hundreds of similar energy storage sites have already been built in the UK. Concerns about safety and environmental impacts have been raised in the past.