Why Yorkshire's 'Battery Triangle' could eventually be as famous as its golden one: Chris Burn

SSE Renewables is in the initial stages of construction on a battery storage site by a substation in the village of Monk Fryston. For those not familiar with them, these facilities involve giant batteries storing excess power from renewable energy sources like wind and solar and then releasing it back into the grid at periods of peak demand.

Around five miles to the south of Monk Fryston construction is more advanced on a similar but smaller scheme at the former Ferrybridge power station while less than 10 miles to the east of that SSE is consulting on opening a much larger site at Eggborough.

Alan Greenwood, stakeholder engagement manager for SSE Renewables, said the area is particularly suited to such projects due to its excellent grid connections that are a legacy of heavy industrialisation in the past.

While he described it to me as the ‘A1 Triangle’, if these plans come to fruition I could see the area ending up being dubbed the ‘Battery Triangle’ (by me at least if no one else).

Mr Greenwood says Yorkshire has an exciting opportunity in the next few years to establish itself as something of a hub for this type of energy, with associated benefits for the local supply chain engaged in building and maintaining these facilities.

As well as over the page in today’s paper, you’ll be able to read more about SSE Renewable’s exciting vision for our area in a special supplement that is running with Thursday’s paper about last week’s Yorkshire Post Climate Change Summit in Leeds.

At the event the thing that struck me most is how many exciting renewable energy projects are getting off the ground in Yorkshire – from hopes of turning energy-from-waste facilities into ‘decarbonisation hubs’ to a substantial expansion of a district heating network in Sheffield.

During his speech at the event, Mr Greenwood made a wise point about the race to reach net zero which pretty much every participant agreed is going to be extremely challenging to achieve on our current trajectory.

He said: “It seems with renewables we are always standing at a crossroads and there’s so many things on the horizon.

"There are so many things on the horizon sometimes it is tempting to look at other technologies and think that could be the game changer but in truth there probably isn’t one single game changer. There’s going to be a mix of technologies we have to deliver.”

Excitingly, Yorkshire’s natural assets, forward-thinking business leaders, innovative industries and ‘can do’ attitude means the region can genuinely be at the forefront of the nation’s green revolution. I personally believe Theresa May was absolutely right last year when she said the UK’s net zero target should be seen as the economic growth opportunity of the century.

Yorkshire has the chance to be in the driving seat of that change.​​​​​​​