In recent years I have received an increasing level of instructions to undertake agricultural land grade assessments from firms seeking to invest in proposals that involve taking commercial farm land out of production.

Until the latter part of the Summer in 2015, these reports were often in respect of investors seeking sites suitable for solar parks; generally around 25 acres in size, or 5MW in capacity.

However, since the Government’s reduction in Feed in Tariffs (FITs) and removal of Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) earlier this year, the investment market for solar parks appears to have slowed. Conversely we have seen increasing interest in an alternative proposal: Battery Storage Sites.

Battery Storage uses industrial scale battery technology to provide power to the national Grid at times of peak demand. During periods of excess supply to the grid these batteries store energy until such time as there is a demand above current supply, at which point electricity is fed back into the grid to fill that gap. The aim of the investors in such projects is to buy the electricity at a low cost and sell it back to the grid at a higher rate in peak demand. The technology has existed for many years, but has only recently been developed and manufactured on a scale that makes the proposal commercially viable.

A Battery Storage site requires similar physical needs to a solar park:

• close proximity to a grid connection (ideally an electricity substation or possibly a 33kV overhead line);
•  ideally low quality brownfield land, however agricultural land can be utilised where it is not of the highest grade must be screened as much as possible from residential dwellings and public rights of way (minimum 400m from nearest dwelling)
• Good access
• Flat land / limited gradient

However, sites generally occupy a much smaller area (circa 1-3 acres). Existing agricultural buildings can sometimes be utilised if unoccupied or a developer might construct a new building to house the storage facility (energy barn).

If you were previously in discussions with developers for potential solar parks which have now been put on hold or even aborted, a Battery Storage Site may be a viable alternative. Please get in touch today to see if this less intensive land use opportunity may be an option for you.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact Rob Browne in Stafford,01785 220044 email rob.browne@fishergerman.co.uk

matthew.burton@fishergerman.co.uk Knutsford 01565 757970

Or in Chester 01244 409660, rachel.kirk@fishergerman.co.uk