2 Dec 2024
A bid for a new battery energy storage system (BESS) has been placed on Scottish Borders Council’s planning agenda, sparking concerns from locals over the potential damage to the landscape.
The rise in applications for BESS facilities raises an important question – will the planning authorities in the Borders, and elsewhere, learn from the mistakes that have been made with regard to the over-proliferation of wind farms?
BESS facilities store excess energy generated by wind farms and release it back to the grid at periods of high demand. However, some Borders residents fear a gold rush of proposals which could risk industrialising the area.
The new facility by Green Switch Capital Ltd, if approved, would be located north east of Sawmill Cottage, to the west of Gattonside with a capacity of 42MW. It would incorporate battery containers, inverters, transformers and substations.
There have been six battery storage related planning applications submitted to SBC centred around Eccles electricity substation, two of which have been approved and the rest are outstanding. If all were to be approved, they would cover an area 14 times the size of Leitholm Village. All projects are on agricultural land.
SBC does not have the final say on the BESS bids, that rests with the Government’s Energy Consents Unit.
John Lamont MP has raised his concerns regarding overcapacity.
East Berwickshire Independent councillor James Anderson had put together a motion for debate at the next SBC meeting, calling on council leader Euan Jardine to write to Energy Minister Gillian Martin MSP to discuss BESS facilities in the Borders.
The motion states: “This meeting aims to address the significant concerns regarding the lack of consultation on proposed battery storage projects, which are poised to impact the landscape of the Scottish Borders for the next 25 to 30 years.”
There will be a public consultation on January 15 at Gattonside Village Hall.