Otterpool Park, a new garden town in Kent with 8,500 all-electric homes, has struck a deal to supply renewable energy back to the National Grid. The development, proposed to begin construction in 2027, will rely on solar power and batteries, with almost no fossil fuel use.
The town's homes will feature electric hobs, heating systems, and vehicle chargers, plus rooftop solar panels and batteries. A solar farm on adjacent council land is planned to meet half the town's electricity needs, giving the town about 34 megawatts of renewable capacity and one grid-scale battery per 300 homes.
SNRG, the infrastructure company behind the smart grid, says residents will see significant savings on energy bills. The on-site generation also avoids costly grid reinforcements, which delay about a third of housing developments, according to Knight Frank.
During winter, Otterpool Park will draw from the National Grid, but when extra power is needed elsewhere, the town's micro-grid can coordinate devices to export electricity. Dan Nicholls of SNRG explained that pausing car chargers for seconds could aggregate savings to help manage grid shortfalls.
Council leader Jim Martin called the plans a perfect example of renewable energy and carbon reduction, noting the solar park will undergo public scrutiny. SNRG is pursuing similar projects, but Otterpool is the most advanced.
