Author: peterb

By 2035, the UK will be powered entirely by clean electricity, subject to security of supply. In order to meet this target set by the UK Government it needs to be underpinned by flexibility. BESS provide balancing services to maintain sufficient power on the ‘grid’ at times of high demand for electricity.

Developer
FRV TH Powertek – a leader in the development of sustainable energy solutions.

Planning Agent
Dan Elvin, Senior Planner, Sirius Planning.

FRV TH Powertek Limited is a platform developed to design, construct and operate a portfolio of battery energy storage system projects.

Developer of sustainable energy solutions, Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV), part of Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, is a platform dedicated to designing, constructing and operating a portfolio of battery energy storage-system projects in the UK.

Battery Energy Storage projects play a critical role in ensuring a more stable and resilient electricity network with lower emissions.  A significant growth is expected in installed capacity of battery storage projects to keep the UK on track to meet its Net Zero targets for 2050.

“What we are building – and where.”

A 49.9MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is proposed, 850m at North Belton, (north of Pitcox and 3km south west of Dunbar);
52no. Battery Units (arranged in 26no. pairs), 52 inverters and 26 transformers plus 2 spare storage cabins (numbers TBC);
DNO substation compound and associated cabins; and Underground cable to the point of connection (substation immediately south of the site).

Construction access routes and volumes.

All construction traffic to approach from the A1 junction north east of the site. All traffic to turn left out of the site back towards the A1 junction. Volumes TBC.

When this will happen?

Surveys underway;
POAN and Scoping Request submitted 21st April 2023;
Consultation events proposed in June 2023;
Application to be submitted July 2023. Decision by Q4 2023;
Build out in 2026.

Crystal Rig is Fred. Olsen Renewables flagship onshore renewable project and is located between Dunbar in East Lothian and Duns in the Scottish Borders. The wind farm commenced operation in 2003 and by 2025 will generate over 260MV of clean, green electricity – capable of powering over 200,000 homes. The Crystal Rig solar project will generate an additional 27.5MW of green energy.

Crystal Rig Phase IV:

• 11 turbines up to 200m, 42MW
• Scoping submitted 2018
• Project consented 2021
• Construction commences Q3 2023
• Route to site will be A1 to Innerwick Junction then south to site entrance

Is a natural expansion of the existing site
Utilising existing infrastructure where possible
£5,000 community benefit per MW installed, more than £8m over project lifetime
Crystal Rig has provided more than £2M in community benefit funding to the local area over the last 20 year

Crystal Rig Solar:

Fred. Olsen Renewables has launched proposals to create a solar farm at Crystal Rig Wind Farm. The plans for solar PV panels on the land around the turbines could generate enough green energy to power more than 21,000 homes.

• 30MW solar array
• Scoping submitted February 2023
• Public consultation ongoing
• Application anticipated late 2023

Maximises the potential of the site
Utilises existing infrastructure
Secures a more consistent energy supply
Provide over £520,000 throughout the lifetime of the project

Both Crystal Rig IV and Solar Proposals will:

Actively supports Scotland’s net zero ambitions
Delivers local and regional supply chain opportunities
Makes a positive contribution to the local economy

Contact:

Crystal Rig IV & Solar Farm

Fred Olsen Renewables

Kirsty Leiper  kirsty.leiper@fredolsen.com www.crystalrigwindfarm.co.uk

EastCoastGridServices Ltd is consulting on a planning application to develop an energy storage facility connected to the national electricity grid at Branxton near Innerwick in East Lothian.

The project has been designed to meet the increasingly critical need to stabilize the UK electricity grid as older generating plants are decommissioned and more and more intermittent renewable energy from wind and solar farms is connected to the system. National Grid and Scottish Power have a crucial role in balancing the peaks and troughs associated with electricity supply and demand to manage the strain on the electricity network and ensure there are no power blackouts.

Strategically located energy storage facilities help solve this problem and the proposed Branxton facility will use lithium-ion batteries as the storage technology to balance the network. Grid-connected batteries such as these are able to respond at short notice to requests from National Grid to supply power during such periods as when renewable sources are not generating, or fossil fuel plants are unexpectedly offline.

The proposed site is located in a field adjacent to the East Coast railway line near Linkshead Farm and was chosen for its unobtrusive location and proximity to Scottish Power’s Branxton Substation with its future connections to the national grid and large windfarms offshore in the North Sea.

The facility will consist of rows of three meter high shipping-like containers which house the batteries along with power equipment to connect the facility via underground cable to the Scottish Power substation. The Branxton Energy Storage Facility will help Scotland to meet national and strategic targets for renewable energy and a net-zero grid.

EastCoastGridServices Ltd and its sister company GridCodePower Ltd are experienced developers of renewable energy projects across Scotland having developed three operational onshore windfarms in the Central Belt, two operational battery storage facilties near Livingston and Wishaw and the three largest battery storage facilities in Europe located at Hunterston, Kincardine and Windyhill all of which are about to start construction in the coming months.

Contact:

Branxton Energy Storage Facility East Coast Grid Services Ltd.

Steve Ruggi steve.ruggi@gridcodepower.com

http://branxtonenergystorage.com