TWO battery energy storage sites within 200m of each other have been approved in Kilwinning.
Applications were green-lighted by North Ayrshire Council's planning committee at a meeting last month, weeks before a former battery recycling plant in the town erupted in flames for the second time in a year.
Capbal (Kilwinning) Limited applied for the formation of a battery energy storage system (BESS) compound including means of access, erection of fencing, installation of associated infrastructure and landscaping works, at Ardoch Farm.
And the council raised no objection to a separate development at nearby Bannoch Cottage, across the B778 Old Glasgow Road, after the Scottish Government's Energy Consents Unit had consulted the local authority on the proposal.
The Ardoch Farm site, in a field near the town's electricity sub-station, will have a generating capacity of 27MW.
The site plan indicates 24 standard-size shipping containers arranged as double units in three rows of four with inverters placed in between.
Each container would contain lithium-ion batteries and associated plant, including a fire suppression system in line with industry standards. The height of the BESS units would be 2.9m above ground level.
Other plant and infrastructure would include access tracks, an auxiliary transformer (2.1m high) storage containers (2.9m in height), low voltage feeder pillars (two metres in height), a client control room (under 4m high), a Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) control room (6m high) and CCTV/security lights.
The energy stored within the proposed batteries at the site would be connected by cable to the nearby sub-station, which is approximately 200m to the northeast.
The purpose of the development is to charge and store surplus energy from the grid. Power would then be released back to the grid when required.
“Even though it is a different situation from Byrehill in Kilwinning [the subject of a second huge fire after the meeting took place] there is a lot of feeling on what energy is and battery storage and recycling. I welcome the fire service being consulted.”
Kilwinning SNP councillor Scott Davidson said: “I agree it is good to consult with the fire service on planning applications because of the current climate.
"This is a completely different process from what was carried out at Byrehill on the edge of Pennyburn.”
The application was unanimously agreed.
Meanwhile, Altrincham-based applicant GPC's site, south of Bannoch Cottage, will have a generating capacity of up to 100MW.
It is proposed to form a fenced compound for the siting of the BESS units. The site plan indicates 40 units of varying size and finished in dark grey or green.
Section 36 of the Electricity Act states that consent is required from Scottish Ministers for the construction of battery energy storage facilities with a capacity exceeding 50 megawatts.
Both sites were given the go-ahead at the meeting on March 19.
