RES has submitted a planning application for a 150MW battery energy storage project in East Ayrshire, Scotland.
The Westport battery facility, located between Coalhall and Ochiltree and near the Coylton substation, has been submitted to Scottish Ministers via a Section 36 application to the Energy Consents Unit.
RES said the project is designed to help stabilise the electricity grid and support net-zero targets by providing rapid-response flexibility to balance the variable output from renewables.
John Hills, development project manager at RES, said the site was chosen for its limited visual impact and proximity to existing infrastructure.
“We have designed the Westport BESS to sit sensitively into the local landscape and have carefully assessed and mitigated any potential cumulative effects to ensure a responsible development,” he said.
Hills added that the company’s landscaping and biodiversity plan had been well received locally.
“Presenting this plan at our second exhibition reinforced our confidence that our approach… has been well-received locally,” he said.
Short-duration flexibility technologies like Westport can reduce the need for new peaking generation and lower system costs by up to £10bn annually by 2050, according to the UK Government’s smart systems modelling.
RES has delivered more than 830MW of battery projects across the UK and Ireland and currently manages over 600MW of operational capacity from its Glasgow-based control centre.