Korkia, Evolution Win Approval for Kent Solar-Battery Project

• Korkia and Evolution Power secure consent for a 150MWp solar-plus-storage park in Kent, boosting UK clean power, grid flexibility, and energy security as demand decarbonizes.

Finnish renewables investor Korkia and partner Evolution Power won development consent to build a 150-megawatt-peak solar park with co-located battery storage in Kent, England. The project, among the larger UK solar schemes, combines generation and balancing capacity on one site to maximize output and flexibility as power demand decarbonizes.

Development consent allows detailed design, financing and grid-connection arrangements to proceed, with the battery energy storage system intended to smooth intermittency and provide peak support. The Kent site is expected to deliver utility-scale clean power to the regional network, contributing to Britain’s push to expand low-carbon electricity and bolster energy security.

How will Kent’s 150MWp solar-plus-storage project advance UK grid stability and decarbonization?

- Delivers firm, dispatchable clean power by pairing PV with a multi‑hour battery, shifting midday solar into evening peaks and reducing reliance on gas peakers.
- Provides fast frequency response (e.g., Dynamic Containment/Moderation), enhancing stability as synchronous generation declines.
- Offers voltage control and reactive power locally in the South East, mitigating congestion and deferring costly grid reinforcements.
- Cuts curtailment by soaking up excess solar and wind when transmission is constrained, then exporting when the system needs it.
- Supports grid restoration and stability services through advanced inverter controls, including synthetic inertia and potential black‑start capabilities.
- Lowers balancing costs for National Grid ESO by supplying flexible, near‑instant ramping without fuel or start‑up penalties.
- Improves security of supply around key interconnector nodes in Kent (e.g., Richborough/Nemo Link, IFA corridors) by smoothing net flows and relieving constraints.
- Aligns with the UK’s 2035 clean power goal by adding utility‑scale zero‑carbon capacity that can be scheduled like conventional plant.
- Enables higher penetrations of renewables nationally by providing the flexibility needed to accommodate variable generation.
- Supports electrification of transport and heat in the South East by meeting growing evening demand from EVs and heat pumps with stored solar.
- Reduces lifecycle emissions versus fossil alternatives; anticipated annual output from 150 MWp can displace tens of thousands of tonnes of CO2 in early years.
- Creates a bankable model for co‑located solar‑plus‑storage in the UK, unlocking finance and accelerating replication across constrained regions.