Former power station to see new use as renewable energy store

Kieran Molloy, Local democracy reporter

The site of a former power station will see a new use as a renewable energy store after a council green-lighted plans.

The plans are for the construction and operation of a 50MW “long duration” energy storage facility at the site of the former Barry power station.

The application reads: “The rationale for the proposed development is to deliver a new long duration energy storage facility, which will improve the stability of the National Grid electricity network and facilitate greater use of and reliance upon renewable energy sources.”

It continues: “The former power station site benefits from existing electrical infrastructure, making it a prime location for the delivery of further energy storage development.”

The old power station was operational until 2019 but has since been decommissioned and largely demolished.

Battery storage facilities are used to store energy generated from renewable sources, such as wind or solar, during low demand periods.

This energy is then released back into the national grid when it is needed most, reducing the need to rely on fossil fuels.

The Barry facility uses “vanadium flow” batteries which allow for longer duration energy storage while being “more stable and safer”.

The construction period is anticipated to start in 2030 and for a duration of two years.

The application reads: “It is anticipated that construction traffic will generate a maximum of 50 two-way trips for staff and 30 two-way trips for LGVs and HGVs at the peak of construction.

“There will be no construction vehicle movements at any time on Sundays or on public or bank holidays.”

During the February 12 meeting to approve the development, some Vale of Glamorgan councillors expressed concerns about the safety of vanadium batteries and electrical interference caused by the battery store.

However, Ian Robinson, head of sustainable development at the council, reassured councillors that vanadium batteries were “industry recognised as being a fundamentally less problematic technology than the lithium-ion batteries”.

He also said that the development met standards to limit electromagnetic interference.