A 200MW battery energy storage system (BESS) in Bathgate, Scotland, has passed through West Lothian Council’s executive committee without objections.
Ministers from the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit will now consider the proposals and decide whether to grant consent.
The 200MW/400MWh 2-hour BESS, called the Pond Energy Park, is being pursued by renewable energy developer OnPath Energy, formerly Banks Renewables, with the hope of being operational by 2031. The project is expected to have an operational life of 25 years. .
Billy Weir, chairman of Bathgate Community Council, believes the project represents an “important step towards a greener and more sustainable future, not just for Bathgate, but for Scotland as a whole”.
The large-scale BESS will store renewable energy when consumer demand is low and then release it to balance the national grid when demand peaks. This complements projects for the generation of variable renewable energy in the local area, such as wind and solar energy.
The project is expected to create around 80 jobs during construction, with an estimated annual wage of £1.6 million. In addition, Pond will contribute approximately £950,000 in annual business rates to support essential local services such as schools, hospitals and other public resources.
More than £1 million will also be available as part of a community benefits proposal, which will be available for community-led investment over the life of the project.
Weird added: “Community involvement will be key to the success of this project, and we want to ensure that local people benefit from the positive economic and social value this project could deliver.
“As with all our projects, we have ensured that we have worked closely with the local community throughout the planning process, and we are confident that this project will deliver significant economic and environmental benefits to the region.”
Scotland’s ‘largest’ independent BESS receives planning permission
Elsewhere in Scotland, energy storage specialist Apatura last month received planning permission for a 700MW BESS in Inverclyde, which the company claims will be Scotland’s largest standalone BESS.
The BESS will be sited on approximately 16.39 hectares of land near Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, with consent for the construction of 240 BESS units, 140 BESS transformers, 280 BESS inverters, three 33 kV switch rooms, a 400 kV control building and a 400 kV to 33 kV transformer connection.
Inverclyde Council’s Energy Consents Unit approved the consent on September 11 without objections from the council. The approval decision letter commends Apatura for its good practice in community engagement.
A community fund will also be established as part of the development process, and two species of native trees will be planted on site to increase biodiversity.
