RES has submitted a Section 36 application to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit for its 150MW Westport Battery Energy Storage System proposal (BESS), located between the villages of Coalhall and Ochiltree, approximately 9km west of Cumnock.
Chosen for its proximity to Coylton substation, the project has been specifically designed to minimise the amount of land required for the infrastructure and to allow for biodiversity improvements and screening on the rest of the site.
As well as playing an important grid balancing role to support the variable generation of renewable energy technologies, BESS projects like the Westport BESS proposal can respond in fractions of a second to critical grid stability (frequency of the grid) services as well as providing additional network capacity, particularly at times of network stress.
John Hills, Development Project Manager for Westport said
“Expanding battery energy storage capacity is essential for building a reliable, resilient, and low-carbon electricity system. We have carefully designed the Westport BESS to sit sensitively into the local landscape, recognising the importance of addressing community concerns about potential development impacts. Throughout our pre-application process, we have carefully assessed and mitigated any potential cumulative effects to ensure a responsible development. We are grateful to everyone who took the time to participate in our public consultation events and provided valuable feedback, which has helped shape the final application.”
A key focus of our discussions with the public was the importance of effective landscaping and biodiversity enhancements. Whilst the natural terrain and existing planting already help limit the visibility of this critical infrastructure, we have developed a comprehensive landscaping plan to further reduce visual impact while delivering significant ecological benefits. Presenting this plan at our second exhibition reinforced our confidence that our approach to landscaping and biodiversity is well-received locally.”
To view the planning application, please click here.