Perth and Kinross Council, Scotland, has unanimously approved a new solar and BESS project after vigorous consultation by planners.
The Binn Solar and BESS farm will consist of 60,000 solar panels and produce 39 MW of electricity. The BESS on location will store excess energy and then pass it on to the national electricity grid.
The Binn Solar and BESS farm will be developed by BLC Energy, a Perthshire-based sustainable company supported by the Octopus Renewable Infrastructure Trust – a fund run by British energy supplier Octopus Energy.
The new project contributes to the expansion of BLC Energy’s solar portfolio, as the developer continues to link solar farms and BESS to optimize renewable energy generation in the UK.
“This is exactly the kind of well-located, responsibly developed renewable energy project needed to help Scotland and Britain meet climate targets while improving national energy security,” said Neil Lindsay, managing director of BLC Energy.
Lindsay added that the development of the site will involve input from the local community, and the design will take into account the local environment.
“We will add 1.4 miles of hedges and plant almost 8,000 new trees, which will soften the visual impact of the development and significantly improve the biodiversity of the site,” Lindsay said.
To deliver benefits to Perthshire residents, BLC Energy has said it will offer a community benefits fund “valued at £500 for every megawatt of export capacity”. This equates to £19,500 per year over the 40-year life of the farm.
Speaking about the fund, Lindsay said: “We believe that those living closest to any development should benefit the most, so we are exploring whether we can set up a local energy rebate mechanism to offer those households lower energy bills.”
The Binn Solar and BESS Farm has an expected connection date of 2031, when it can start exporting electricity to the National Grid. BLC Energy expects construction to take six months and has indicated that it will give priority to local suppliers where possible.
