Firma Energy

Founded in 2021 by Rufus Salter and Andrew Jones, Firma is an independent management owned business, based in Leeds. The business has a focus on creating and delivering value from renewable energy developments with environmental and social benefits.

Across the UK Firma currently has over 260 megawatts (MW) of Solar Farm and 347MW of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in development.

Ib Vogt

ib vogt (IBV) is a leading developer of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) farms and BESS infrastructure (with an international presence and 20-year track record. IBV projects are mainly in Europe, but it is also investing significantly in North America, Asia, and elsewhere.

Globally, IBV have delivered over 2.9GW of renewable and low carbon energy developments, and over 60GW of PV and BESS.

Westfield BESS would comprise the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of a battery energy storage facility (BESS).

BESS offer backup power and help stabilise the electricity grid by connecting to a nearby Substation, thereby supplying electricity to the grid at times of peak energy demand and helping make renewable energy outputs a secure and reliable part of the UK energy supply.

To achieve net zero emissions by 2050, it is essential to optimise the utilisation of all available technologies and resources. As the proportion of renewable energy generation increases, effectively storing and balancing energy supply and demand becomes crucial for establishing a zero-carbon economy.

According to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, around 30 GW of short duration storage and flexible demand may be required by 2050. National Grid further estimates that in order to reach the 2050 target, the country will require a twelve-fold increase in its storage capacity. However, as of 2021, the installed capacity stands at only 1.6 GW.

Regarding Leeds Council’s own stance on energy development, Leeds has identified the potential need for 2,500MWh of energy storage.

Thanks to advancements in battery technology, renewable energy can now cater to peak energy demands throughout the day. Battery storage plays a vital role in decarbonising our energy system by storing energy and discharging it during periods of high demand when renewable sources may not be generating power.

The site is located off Westfield Road, Carlton, Rothwell, Wakefield, WF3 3TW. The red line area of the Site covers approximately 1.7 hectares (4.2 acres) of land, although this includes open areas and new landscape planting and the BESS will not occupy the entire site.

We have significantly reduced the scale of the proposals. The original proposals included infrastructure across 49% of the total site area, while the revised scheme has been reduced to 27% of the site area - a reduction of 22%.

We have also moved the battery infrastructure into the lowest corner of the site, furthest from local houses. The new proposals also include making more of the site area available for ecological enhancements.

The original application included 32 battery units, each 40ft in length and 3m high, as well as 16 PCS (Power Conversion System) units, each of which were 20ft in length. These BESS units and PCS would have sat directly on the ground.

The new proposals will include 40 smaller battery units, which are only 2.67m high. There will also be a reduced number of 10 PCS units, which are 2.89m high.

These Battery Units and PCS units will not sit directly on the ground, but will be on raised blocks, to help avoid the creation of new hardstanding infrastructure.

As we are currently at the consultation stage, we are seeking local feedback on these new proposals. We are especially interested to hear how we can reduce potential impacts during the construction stage, and are currently looking at options including moving the access track further south and reducing the height of the BESS infrastructure.

The BESS facility will have an import/export capacity of 50MW. This is equivalent to the annual energy needs of over 14,000 family homes.

The BESS is a temporary development and will not change the land classification. When the BESS has been decommissioned, the consent will require the land to be restored to its previous purpose. This means the site remains classified as agricultural greenfield and does not become previously developed ‘brownfield’ land in policy terms.

The battery enclosures are specifically engineered to guarantee secure operation throughout the project's lifespan. Advanced safety measures, including continuous monitoring of individual battery cells, are in place to promptly address any potential concerns and manage operations for utmost safety.

Battery energy storage systems are designed to adhere to stringent safety standards established by international regulatory bodies like the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). These comprehensive standards encompass various facets of battery storage systems, including installation, operation, and maintenance, to ensure their compliance with the highest safety protocols.

The Lithium-Ion batteries that will be used in the project are not reliant on scarce raw materials. There are established recycling processes for recovering the most common elements used in battery construction - cobalt, nickel, lithium, and manganese - for re-use.

As part of the proposals, we intend to give over a large portion of the site to environmental enhancements. Benefits will primarily come from resting the land as well as through providing species-rich grassland ground cover with wildflowers to support pollinators, planting new areas of woodland, adding new hedgerows, and improving the density and species diversity of existing hedgerows. Targeted waterside planting will also make a positive contribution to water quality.

The original planning application would have delivered a significant biodiversity net gain (BNG) of approximately 125 %. The reduction in size for the new scheme by over 22% will increase this further. We are currently conducting a series of surveys, which will determine the final BNG figure. In advance of this we welcome any recommendations for environmental betterment that we could consider for inclusion in the proposals.

The site's design will place a strong emphasis on minimising its visibility from the surrounding areas. The revised layout has taken a landscape-led approach that places the development in the lowest part of the site. The BESS containers will be below 3m, ensuring that a significant portion of the site remains concealed from view, particularly in nearby residential areas to the north/northeast beyond the crest of the hill.

To enhance screening and further reduce visibility from local roads and villages, a range of mitigation measures will be implemented. These measures involve additional planting for screening purposes and enhancing the existing hedgerows surrounding the site. These efforts aim to enhance the overall visual integration of the project with its surroundings, mitigating any potential visual impacts.

To address any potential visual impact, a thorough Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) has been conducted and photomontages are being prepared that will provide Year 1 and Year 15 visualisations of the scheme. These will be uploaded to the website.

Once operational the BESS facility will have a low-impact presence with only the occasional operations and maintenance visit. The only period with potential traffic impact is during the short term temporary construction phase.

The Highway Authority considered the original proposals and had no objections to the development. As the revised scheme is of a significantly reduced scale there will be a proportionate reduction in vehicle numbers required to implement the consent.

When the BESS facility is being built the traffic will be managed by a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP), which will include measures such as an HGV booking system and restrictions on times when traffic can arrive on site to avoid impacts at on the local network, such as by avoiding rush hour or peak school-run times. In advance of a planning submission we welcome any local inputs on measures we can include to minimise impact.

The construction period is expected to take between 6-8 months. This will however depend on multiple factors, including the time of year, weather conditions, and Northern Powergrid (NPG) scheduling requirements.

There would typically be at least 6 months between receiving planning consent and the start of construction.

In March 2016 Leeds City Council committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030. The resolution also called for support from the central government in terms of funding and authority to achieve this target. For more information, please see the Leeds Climate Emergency initiative.

As part of efforts to support a low carbon Leeds, the Council is proposing to update the Local Plan with new policies focused on climate change. Supporting text on energy storage for emerging policy EN3 advises: “Electricity storage infrastructure would help to increase the self-sufficiency of Leeds’ energy supply and to balance the national supply and demand of electricity.”

Westfield Road BESS will have a storage capacity of up to 50 MW of electricity, which helps to maintain grid stability and secure the power supply for the equivalent of over 14,000 average UK family homes while supporting the local transition to Net Zero through low carbon infrastructure.

The scheme connects into the Northern Powergrid network and includes a new NPG-owned substation. As this is the distribution network, not the National Grid, the BESS will be reinforcing the grid for local users. Developments like this are essential to maintain investment levels and fund the essential upgrading of the UK grid network to make it more secure and resilient. Without developer contributions the costs of upgrades would be passed on through higher energy bills.

The Firma Vogt partnership is also committed to providing direct local benefits to the communities that host our developments.

We are open to direct project contributions such as providing solar panels for schools, EV charging points at community facilities, or supporting improvements to recreational green space. There is also opportunity to establish a fund from which grants can be sought to support the community over time.

Throughout this consultation and through the planning phase we will welcome input from local people on where we could provide positive support for community needs.

You can contact us via the Contact Us page on this website. Please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0800 707 4155, or send us an email at contact@westfieldbess.com

You can also write to us at ‘FREEPOST - WESTFIELD BESS’ (no additional postage or address is required).