Wester Bowhouse Farm BESS

Wester Bowhouse Farm 250MW 
Battery Energy Storage Facility

The Site

AAH Consultants intend to submit a planning application, on behalf of Apatura, to the Energy Consents Unit (ECU)/Scottish Ministers for a 250 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).

The location of the proposed battery storage facility proposed is on Land At Wester Bowhouse Farm, B825, Standburn, Maddiston, Falkirk, Scotland, UK, FK2 0BX, (Grid Reference: X 293509, Y 675059).

The site comprises approximately 40.1 hectares of land (inclusive of access track), and is located within the administrative area of Falkirk Council.

What is Battery Storage?

Battery storage is a technology that enables energy to be stored for later use. The storage system charges (or collects energy) from the grid, conventional power plant or renewable energy development and then discharges that energy at a later time.

Increasing needs for system flexibility has enabled battery storage to play an increasing role in the grid power system in recent years and as the provision of wind and solar deployment increases, more policymakers, regulators and utilities are seeking to develop policies to encourage such projects.

Battery storage can enhance power system flexibility and enable high levels of renewable energy integration.

Key Features of the Proposal

Container Dimensions
Containers will be approximately 12.16m (length) x 2.43m (width) x 2.6m (height). They will be free standing and arranged in a fashion which makes most effective use of the space available whilst minimising potential impact on landscape and visual amenity. It should be noted that these measurements are subject to change as designs are at an early stage.

Access
An access road would be installed within the site to allow maintenance vehicles to gain access to both the site and the containers, as well as any ancillary structures.  From a desktop review it appears that the only suitable point of access would be from the B825 via a newly created access point.

Traffic Levels
Any traffic generated from the development would largely be associated with the construction phase, for which there are limited vehicle movements, restricted to only the delivery and installation of materials. Once operational, the proposed development would be controlled remotely and it will only necessary for a maintenance engineer to visit the site on an occasional basis.

Application
The eventual application will be submitted to the Energy Consents Unit (ECU)/Scottish Ministers, and will be supported by a number of independent reports which will outline the impact of the development and how these can be mitigated against. This will include a Landscape and Visual Appraisal, an Ecological Appraisal and a Transport Assessment. These reports will be made available on this website upon publication.

About Apatura

Apatura (formally Green Power Consultants) are an expert renewable energy, planning and project management team with over a decade-long record in delivering renewable energy developments.

Apatura provide renewable energy expertise to manage projects from concept through to planning and construction, working with private businesses and individuals from home and across Europe. Our expert renewable energy, planning and project management team oversee the production of a suite of relevant technical documents to support and manage a project through the planning process.

Our consultancy expertise, which spans more than a decade, led to the company's formation as a means to work in partnership with our diverse client base. Our proven track record has delivered an impressive national portfolio of renewable energy developments.

About AAH Consultants

AAH has provided consultancy advice to a broad range of public and private sector clients since its incorporation in 2006. They are a multi-discipline team with chartered members of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI), Institute of Civil Engineers (CEng MICE) and Landscape Institute (CMLI).

About the Public Consultation Process

Pre-application community consultation is intended to add value at the start of the development management process. The aim of this consultation is to engage the community and receive feedback which improves upon on the proposal.

Whilst there are no statutory pre-application consultation procedures for section 36 applications under the Electricity Act 1989, in accordance with the Energy Consents Unit Good Practice Guidance for Applications (July 2022), the applicant is expected to hold at least two public consultation events prior to submitting the application. The final public event should be held at least 14 days after the first public event.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of battery storage? How will this proposal help to combat climate change?

Battery storage is a technology that enables energy to be stored for later use. The storage system charges (or collects energy) from the grid, conventional power plant or renewable energy development and then discharges that energy at a later time.

Increasing needs for system flexibility has enabled battery storage to play an increasing role in the grid power system in recent years and as the provision of wind and solar deployment increases, more policymakers, regulators and utilities are seeking to develop policies to encourage such projects.

Battery storage can enhance power system flexibility and enable high levels of renewable energy integration.

How will the local community benefit from this proposal?

The proposed battery storage facility will benefit UK consumers as a whole by facilitating the supply of low-cost, low carbon electricity on the national grid.

Throughout the consultation process, we will continue to work with people in the area to ensure that our proposals represent an inclusive scheme, inviting ideas and feedback from local communities and stakeholders.


Why was this location chosen?

We consider a range of factors when evaluating land available to deliver a utility-scale clean energy storage scheme, including planning and environmental factors including existing use and quality of land, as well as any designations and constraints. However, one of the factors ultimately informing site choice when looking at potential locations for new utility-scale battery storage development is available capacity on the local grid.

info@westerbowhousebess.co.uk