German energy company Uniper has announced plans to build its first solar PV project in Scotland, a 68.8 MW project north of Dundee.
Uniper expects to begin construction of the Berryhill Solar Farm in early 2026 and begin commercial operations by the end of the year. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), the local district network operator (DNO), is responsible for connecting the project to the Charleston substation in Dundee.
The grid connection obligation for the grid connection will be an important part of the project’s commissioning, because in new projects a lack of grid capacity often hinders commissioning. Earlier this year, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) announced the capabilities that will be made available to several DNOs in the UK. with SSEN receiving 2.2 GW of new utility-scale solar capacity.
While the National Energy System Operator (NESO) has now done so published the general results of the rescheduling of transmission network connection queuesDNO’s still inform developers of their position in the queue.
Concerns about available grid capacity could be a motivating factor behind a number of battery energy storage systems (BESS) project developments in Scotland this year, as developers look to the battery sector to provide stability in the absence of available grid connections. In October, Qair UK has been approved for a 342 MW BESS in South Lanarkshire and in September, GRS completed the construction of a 49.4 MW BESS project in the country.
Uniper also noted that it plans to commence the construction process as the sole owner of the project, but highlighted the involvement of Welsh developer Solar2, which has submitted plans to Angus Council’s planning authority in 2024, in the project development process. The project first received council approval in 2022 and will form part of Scotland’s target to deploy 4 to 6 GW of solar capacity by the end of the decade.
