Plans for £3.5m Teesside energy park move forward with virtual public consultation

Proposals for a new energy generation and storage facility in Teesside have been debated by local residents via a public webinar.

County Durham-based firm The Banks Group held a virtual event to allow members of the public to discuss its plans to create a new £3.5m Flexible Energy Park on the Bowesfield Crescent Industrial Estate in Stockton.

The site, which will include a natural gas/hydrogen “peaker plant” and an electricity storage battery, has been chosen due to its infrastructure links and access to Northern Powergrid’s electricity network.

The Banks Group was the original developer of the Bowesfield site, a mixed-use location on the banks of the River Tees in Stockton which includes an integrated 15-hectare wildlife conservation area.

Mark Rowcroft, technical manager at The Banks Group, commented: “Involving local communities is an essential part of the development of all our schemes, and we’re working hard to make sure we can continue to do this despite the restrictions that the pandemic is imposing on everyone.

“Holding online events like this webinar is proving to be a beneficial approach and we’re grateful to all the local people who took the time to take part in it.

He continued: “Peaker plants and battery storage will play an important part in the UK’s continuing journey to Net Zero by providing greater security of energy supply which in turn allows more renewable generation onto the network.

“Having already invested in creating something unique at Bowesfield, we’re now proud to be looking to deliver this new scheme in our home region.”

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