London-based renewables company planning large battery energy storage system
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A London-based renewable energy infrastructure firm named Field has launched the process to build a large battery energy storage system (BESS) near Essich.
The approximately seven hectare site for the proposed development is next to the SSEN Transmission substation at Essich, which is about two miles from the west link road in south Inverness.
Operating under the name Field Knocknagael Ltd – not to be confused with Knocknagael Ltd, the not-for-profit charity that took over the Smiddy Field – the company hopes to establish the latest BESS in the Highlands.
The proposal is significant in seeking to establish a battery farm that can store up to 200MW of energy – by comparison the recent bid by Caley Thistle on a four acre site sought to store just 50MW.
The company anticipates that with “early environmental assessments and design work” carried out, the public consultations about to be staged, a planning application could be submitted in the summer with a view to construction and operation from 2027 onwards.
The two public consultation events will be held at Dores Village Hall – the first is on Tuesday April 30 and the second is on Tuesday May 28, both will run from 2pm to 7pm.
Such battery farms are considered important or even vital to reach net zero as they charge up when demand is low but there is plenty of energy generation and then sell it into the grid at times of demand.
But at the same time there is a growing chorus of concern about their safety – operators insist, however, that risks are minimal with the problem being that Scotland currently lacks formal guidance on them.
One recent case saw the north planning committee defer a final decision until it had time to seek a consultation from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service – a move applauded by councillors as a sensible precaution.
