Intelligent Land Investments (ILI) Group has secured planning permission for a 100MW battery energy storage system (BESS) in Scotland, continuing a string of consent successes.
The Flemyland BESS, which will be located in North Ayrshire, Scotland, has been granted Section 36 planning permission by the local authority. This is the third successful planning application that ILI Group has received in the last quarter of this year – with a total of 350 MW of BESS capacity approved in the fourth quarter of 2024 alone.
Two other projects have recently been granted planning permission: the 200 MW Whitehill ddevelopment near Gartcosh at the end of October and the 50MW Lochluichart project in the Scottish Highlands last month.
In July this year, the group submitted an application for section 36 planning permission for a large 1.5GW pumped hydroelectric storage (PHES) project, the Balliemanoch PHES, located in the Argyll and Bute region of Scotland. This development has a planned connection date of 2031 and, if approved, will be one of the largest PHES projects in Europe.
ILI Group, based in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, currently has a development portfolio of 4.7 GW, comprising 2.5 GW of PHES projects and 2.2 GW of utility-scale BESS projects.
Mark Wilson, CEO of ILI Group, said: “Achieving three major planning permissions is an incredible way to end the year. They represent a collective step forward in delivering the energy storage capabilities Scotland needs to meet its net zero targets. These projects will ensure that renewable energy is used effectively, supporting a safe and stable electricity grid and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
“Strategically, the connection dates for these projects align perfectly with expected grid connection reforms, allowing them to play a crucial role in Scotland’s energy infrastructure in the coming years.”
The Scottish BESS market continues to grow
Scotland has recently proven to be something of a hotspot for BESS developments.
Last week, Root-Power announced it had been granted planning permission for a 50MW/100MWh BESS near Glasgow’s Ibrox Stadium in the city centre. A much larger project, a 200MW/400MWh BESS proposal from OnPath Energy, took a major step towards starting construction in early October thanks to a no-objection vote from West Lothian Council, which will now pass the proposal to the Scottish Government Energy Consents. Unit.
Apatura has achieved an even more significant victory, having recently received approval for what, once completed, will be Scotland’s largest standalone BESS. The 700MW Aunchetiber BESS, which will be built near Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, will not only be Scotland’s largest standalone BESS, but is also the largest project for which Apatura has received approval for its 10GW pipeline.
Another 49.9 MW BESS planned by XRE Gamma and Scala Renewables Group was able to fight through public objections to secure planning permission for the development, with Aberdeenshire Council approving the proposals despite receiving 51 letters of objection from the local community.
