Controversial plans for Scottish Borders energy plant shelved
An application was submitted to Scottish Borders Council last month by Green Switch Energy to build a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on land north-east of Sawmill Cottage, off the B6360 road, near Gattonside.
The energy company wanted to build 20 battery containers, ten transformers, a substation and new access road, but Green Switch Energy has now informed the local community it has decided not to move forward with the proposed energy storage project, citing 'planning and commercial' reasons for the decision.
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A spokesperson for the company said: 'This decision comes after an internal review of planning and commercial considerations.
'While this site is no longer viable for us, we remain committed to playing our part in building a more resilient and sustainable energy system across the UK with other renewable energy generation and energy storage projects. We also continue to explore opportunities that align with our goals in this part of the country.
'We'd like to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to engage with the early stages of this project. We appreciate the conversations we've had with residents and stakeholders over the past months.'
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A campaign group, No to Gattonside Batteries, was set up to oppose the plans for the building of the site, following growing fears that the Scottish countryside could become a "concrete jungle" with the volume of proposed battery storage sites.
Concerns were raised over the impact it could have on the local landscape and wildlife, as well as any potential fire risk.
The site earmarked for the development is part of a designated National Scenic Area, and borders a stretch of the Southern Upland Way which boasts views over the Eildon Hills and River Tweed, near Melrose.
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Liberal Democrat John Milne said there were 'alarming parallels' with the systemic failure which led to the west London tower block fire. Currently there are no laws which specifically govern the safety of battery energy storage systems (Bess), according to the House of Commons library. However, individual batteries could be subject to product safety regulations. Speaking in the Commons, Mr Milne accused the Government of being 'too complacent' as he called for enforceable regulations for the design and construction of the storage systems. The MP for Horsham said: 'The Grenfell disaster was the end result of many failings by both individuals and companies, but at its heart it was a failure of regulation. 'The rules left things wide open for exploitation by cost-cutting developers, and that is exactly what happened. 'Just as with lithium-ion batteries, a new technology, in this case cladding, was being used at scale for the first time without proper understanding of the risks. The time to act is now.' He continued: 'The Government itself has responded to all questions from myself and others to say that it considers the present regulatory regime to be robust. I am tempted to say pride comes before a fall. 'In the last few weeks a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman has stated that battery fires at storage sites are rare in the UK, we already have high standards in place that require manufacturers and industry to ensure batteries are safe throughout their lifespan. 'This is just too complacent. 'Fires as a result of cladding were also incredibly rare, but that did not save 72 lives at Grenfell.' Mr Milne said the industry would benefit from clear guidance, before adding: 'Any guidance needs to cover-off a number of areas, including transport of batteries to the site, design and construction, fire-fighting, ongoing inspection and decommissioning. 'In the short term, if the Government is for any reason still reluctant to regulate, perhaps it could issue clear national guidelines which are capable of being updated annually. 'Enforcement might then take place through the insurance industry, who would be likely to insist that any new applications followed such guidelines, as no project can go ahead without insurance, it is enforcement by the back door. 'Grenfell was a wholly predictable tragedy. A similar fire at Lakanal House in Camberwell, which killed six people, should have made us understand the risk, but the warning wasn't heeded and history took its course. 'We can't go back in time to stop Grenfell, but we can act now to avoid making the same mistake again with battery energy storage systems.' Elsewhere in the debate, Conservative MP for Mid Buckinghamshire Greg Smith said there should be minimum distances between battery storage sites and housing. Mr Smith said: 'This is not a debate about the principle of energy storage, although I am in principle opposed to such schemes taking agricultural land and challenging our food security, but today's debate, which is deeply concerning, and what this House must urgently address, are the real, growing, and too often overlooked safety implications of these installations, particularly when placed in close proximity to villages, and rural road networks ill-equipped to support them.' He added: 'At the very least the Government should introduce clear national guidelines on the siting of Bess installations, including minimum separation distances from residential properties, fire resilience standards, mandatory site-specific risk assessments and restrictions on placing these facilities on, or near, rural roads.' SNP MP for Aberdeen North, Kirsty Blackman, said developers should pay towards fire mitigation measures. She said: 'If we're saying to those organisations that are creating the battery storage sites, you will need to pay for the fire safety assessment, you will need to consult the local fire and you will need to pay for the training of those local fire teams in tackling fires at battery energy storage sites, I think that would be the most reasonable way forward. 'Ask them to pay for that training, because it's them that are going to be making a huge profit off it.' Energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said: 'It is often claimed that there is no regulation in this sector because there is no specific law addressing battery safety. This is simply untrue. 'The safety and standards of batteries are assured throughout their life cycle. The Government is therefore confident that the safety risks posed by grid-scale batteries are relatively small and well managed.' She added there is 'scope to strengthen' the planning process.
Edinburgh Reporter
26 minutes ago
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Battery storage site next to school approved despite concerns
Scottish Ministers have given the go ahead to a battery storage site less than 100 metres from a school campus despite safety concerns. Midlothian councillors urged the Scottish Government's Energy Consent Unit to consider the fact the new Battery Energy Storage System, known as BESS, would be so close to the Dalkeith campus which has around 2,500 children and young people in its roll. But a meeting of the council's planning committee next week will hear the BESS has been approved with no mention of fire risks or the proximity of the school in the Minister's decision. A report to councillors says: 'The Ministers are satisfied that landscape and visual impacts, impacts on traffic, impacts from noise, coal mining legacy issues, decommissioning, and pollution prevention can all be mitigated via the use of conditions. 'The determination letter does not make any comment on fire risk or the safety of the schools campus.' Ministers determined the benefits of the new site would be vital to meeting net zero targets They said: 'Energy storage such as the proposed development provides will be vital in that context to help maintain the balance between supply and demand, to ensuring security of supply, and to reducing the curtailment of renewable generators under grid constraints which would otherwise result in a loss of valuable renewable generation. 'Secure and stable energy supply is a fundamental need of a prosperous economy. As well as the potential economic benefit to local and national businesses during construction, the proposed development would provide further benefit to the economy through its contribution to underpinning energy security and flexibility.' Midlothian councillors wrote to the Energy Consent Unit, which is responsible for decisions about BESS applications, to raise their concern about it being placed on a 12 hectare field behind the school campus which includes Dalkeith and St Davids High Schools as well as Saltersgate School and Woodburn Primary School. Councillor Ellen Scott, SNP administration education spokesperson, told a meeting of the planning committee in December that there had been an explosion and major fire in Merseyside four years ago at a battery storage unit where it was reported the temperature on the site rose to 40 degrees Celsius within two minutes. She said: 'This site is just 70 metres from the edge of the schools campus where 2,500 of our young people, some very young at three years old and some with severe complex needs, are going to be.' Her comments were supported by Councillor Dianne Alexander who also said the site was over a 'coal seam and gas pipe' She said: 'I just think this is too dangerous for us to allow.' The proposals for the site include a BESS with a capacity of 200 megawatts with 168 storage containers spread across four compounds. The containers will be used to house Lithium-ion batteries and the compounds will be hard surfaced and enclosed with three metre high fencing. The report to councillors next week says: 'The Scottish Ministers in making their determination on the application, have balanced all relevant considerations, decided what weight is to be given to each and reached a view as to where the balance of benefit lies. 'On balance, it is considered that the impacts of the proposed development are acceptable in the context of its benefits, and that the development is supported by relevant planning and energy policies.' By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
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