The UK government has granted full development consent to Helios renewable solar and energy storage project in North Yorkshire. Helios is a 190 MW ground-mounted solar farm with co-located battery energy storage (BESS), and is being developed by Cero Generation in partnership with Enso Energy. The government decision was issued under the national Planning Act 2008, following vetting through the infrastructure consenting process. Helios renewable solar and energy storage project in North Yorkshire is now set for construction and grid connection. The build-out phase will also include the laying of underground cables to the transmission grid via nearby Drax Power Station.
Project Overview
Helios renewable solar and energy storage project will generate enough electricity to meet the demand of about 47,500 homes annually. This will also feature supply to the regional grid around Selby. Once complete, the renewable energy project will also help support the UK’s broader decarbonization goals that is already making great steps as seen with the other projects under development, like Oaklands farm solar park and Tillbridge solar project.
Additionally, with this approval, Helios also becomes one of the newest large scale solar plus renewable energy storage projects advancing development in England. This continues to reinforce momentum set by the UK as it targets increased solar deployment by 2030. The solar-storage hybrid project also adds to a growing pipeline of renewables under development by Cero and Enso.
Helios Renewable Solar and Energy Storage Project Factsheet
Capacity: 190 MW
Location: Land west of the village of Camblesforth and north of Hirst Courtney in North Yorkshire, England.
Developers: Cero Generation and Enso Energy via Enso Green Holdings D Ltd.
Infrastructure Overview: Ground-mounted PV arrays, battery energy storage system (BESS), onsite substation, underground grid connection cabling to Drax Power Station transmission network.
Land Area: 476 hectares (1,175 acres) of agricultural land.
Project Output: Enough to meet annual demand of about 47,500 homes. CO2 emissions savings.
Status: Development consent granted by the UK government. Project cleared for construction and grid connection.
Project Timeline
July 2024: Application submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.
July 2024: Planning Inspectorate accepts the application for examination.
Late 2023-2024: Stakeholder and community consultation conducted. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) including ecological and habitat baseline studies also done.
September 2025: Recommendation report submitted to Secretary of State.
December 2025: Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero gives final Development Consent Order (DCO) for Helios renewable energy project in North Yorkshire.
2026 Onward: Construction to begin. Will feature site works, panel installation, BESS wiring, grid connection installations; topped off with commissioning.
