SECURE, AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Energy security and price stability are as important to green development as sustainability. Without them, no businesses will invest, no jobs will be created.
At Kettering Energy Park, the wind and solar energy is secured by onsite energy storage and bolstered by a secure, large scale grid connection. This means there will always be enough power, and price volatility will be mitigated by most of it being generated on-site. In fact, it will be possible to meet 100% of the energy needs of some occupiers through the renewable power generated at the scheme.
WIND
Kettering Energy Park contains two existing wind farms rated at more than 36MW.
The northern windfarm, when installed, used the highest efficiency onshore wind turbines in the UK. The wind farm still has a higher efficiency rating than coal fired power stations.
Wind power is a complementary technology to solar in terms of land take and energy production. Over time there will be an opportunity to re power these turbines and link them into the energy eco system at Kettering Energy Park.
19 turbine wind farm
Generating 36MVa per annum
SOLAR
178 acre solar arrays
To generate 40MVa per annum
Planning consent to install a 40MW ground mounted solar array has been granted at Kettering Energy Park and development can start now. The consented solar farm will cover circa 178 acres.
There is a further opportunity to extend the ground mounted solar array to meet occupier requirements and to benefit the local energy grid through export.
To maximise renewable energy production and reduce carbon intensity further, the development will commit to deploying solar panels on all the usable roof space of business premises.
ENERGY STORAGE
In addition to employment and other uses such as hydroponics, the Energy Park site will also be suitable to accommodate further energy infrastructure.
Battery storage could be installed at the site as this is a proven technology that offers flexibility to store surplus energy from renewable energy sources and release it when needed at times of higher demand and when not required to serve businesses at the Energy Park. When combined with a Grid Connection it can also act as a buffer to balance peaks in demand for use in other areas.
THE GRID CONNECTION
A main principle of the development is to support energy intensive businesses with sustainable and dependable power. A key underpinning of this is a large and dependable grid connection.
The Energy Park development has a contract grid connection capable of importing 40 MVa of electricity from the grid network when renewable production is low but is also crucially able to accept the export of renewable energy – up to 40MVa when it is not required on site. This means that all renewable energy generated at the Energy park will be utilised to replace fossil fuel production.
The longer-term aspirations are also to further maximise renewable energy generation by another 25MVa and combine this with battery storage to assist in balancing the demands on the electricity distribution network.