The “largest” planning consent for a standalone battery energy storage system in Scotland to date has been granted, Planning consent for the “largest” standalone battery energy storage system in Scotland to date has been secured, in what is being hailed as a “significant milestone”.
Renewable energy storage specialist Apatura has secured planning permission for the proposed major battery energy storage system (BESS) with a capacity of 700 megawatts at Auchentiber Road, about 2.1 kilometres south of Port Glasgow in Inverclyde.
A BESS is an advanced technology system designed to store electrical energy during periods of high generation and low demand. This can then be exported back into the grid network during periods of high demand.
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Apatura, which is based in York with offices in Edinburgh, said: “This is the largest planning consent for a standalone BESS in Scotland to date and the biggest ever secured by Apatura, marking a significant milestone in the company's relentless mission to deliver sustainable energy solutions that fast-track the path to net zero. It is also the fourth consent in less than 12 months, and Apatura expects more to follow soon.”
The company added that it had “worked closely” with the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit and Inverclyde Council “to achieve this success, which will not only bring grid resilience but will also create local job opportunities and a community benefit fund”.
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Apatura said that direct employment opportunities are expected during the construction, operational and decommissioning phases. It also flagged indirect job creation “throughout the supply chain and related services”.
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The company noted that the Auchentiber BESS, which will comprise a battery electricity storage facility and associated infrastructure and involve the planting of new native species trees to improve biodiversity, was approved by the Energy Consents Unit on Wednesday.
Andrew Philpott, chief development officer at Apatura, said: “We are delighted that ministers have supported this critically important scheme and the local council - Inverclyde - lodged no objections. Our focus on Scotland is central to our vision to harness its renewable energy potential.
“This latest planning consent is not only the largest consent for a standalone battery scheme in Scotland, but it also positions us at the forefront of delivering resilient energy infrastructure. This is also a central goal of the NGESO (National Grid Electricity System Operator) Beyond 2023 report, which highlighted the vital role of BESS in Scotland.”
Apatura said of the planned Auchentiber Road BESS: “When it comes online, it will make a substantial contribution to the Scottish Government’s goal of generating 50% of Scotland's overall energy consumption from renewable sources, and by 2050 to have decarbonised its energy system almost completely. It is therefore critical to meeting the UK Government’s commitment to achieving net zero as set out in the Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019.”
The company noted that, in the decision letter on the Auchentiber Road BESS, “not only did Scottish ministers acknowledge that Apatura conducted good practice community engagement, but that the ‘grid scale battery energy storage provides a means to store the electricity generated from the wind, solar etc at times when electricity generation outstrips demand or when the capacity of a constrained electricity grid is insufficient to supply the generated electricity to consumers’.”
It added: “The decision letter went on to state the proposal ‘will contribute to sustainable development, providing for greater and more efficient use of renewable energy generation in the electricity system, and in this regard, it will contribute to greenhouse gas emissions reduction ambitions’.”
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