One of Europe's largest battery storage facilities to be built near Hull to boost UK's transition to 'net zero'

Keyland Developments, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister company to Yorkshire Water, has agreed a 40 year lease to Harmony Energy for the construction of a battery storage facility at a five acre site next to Creyke Beck substation in Cottingham near Hull.

When completed, it will be one of the largest battery storage facilities in Europe.

Harmony Energy has secured planning consent from East Riding of Yorkshire Council for a total of 100MW of battery storage. The development will enable energy from renewables, including solar and wind, to be stored and then released when customers need power most, helping the UK transition to net zero.

Yorkshire-based Harmony Energy develops, builds, owns, and operates renewable energy assets across the UK.

The new facility will have the capacity to store up to 200MWh of power to feed directly back onto the network via the Creyke Beck substation.

Peter Garrett, managing director at Keyland Developments, said: "We're very pleased to get this deal across the line; the energy sector represents an exciting new business area for us to explore and we look forward to sourcing further opportunities from within Kelda Group's extensive landholding."

Keyland Developments was advised by Carter Jonas' Infrastructure and Energy team.

Carter Jonas' energy specialist Simon Currie said: "We are delighted to have advised Keyland on the development and promotion of this significant energy development site. The project is a prime example of the opportunity that presents itself to landowners and developers with sites adjacent to major grid substations, given the increasing demand for energy storage and frequency management on the grid."

Keyland Developments Ltd is the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister company to Yorkshire Water. Keyland has been operating across Yorkshire for 20 years, regenerating Yorkshire Water's redundant sites.

James Newman, chairman of the Hull and East Yorkshire LEP (HEY LEP), said: "As the founding chairman of Keyland Developments over 20 years ago, I am delighted that they have agreed to lease some of their land to Harmony Energy.

"This not only makes good use of surplus land but also helps to consolidate the HEY and Humber region as a major component of the UK’s net carbon zero agenda.

"This proposed storage facility will assist the many businesses in the region, who are expanding their renewable energy capacity and will encourage further inward investment activity in the sector to come to the region."

David Hooper, the Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce’s External Affairs Director, said: “This battery storage facility will help to even out the demands for power, capturing energy generated from renewables like solar during the daytime and deploying it during times of peak demand.

“Capturing clean energy is another good step forward in helping the Humber to reach its net zero ambitions and maximising the use of the clean energy the Humber is becoming known for.”