Why these behemoth renewable energy batteries in Scotland are just next stage in eyesore power infrastructure

Power stations. Hardly the prettiest or most architecturally pleasing constructions, are they? When coal was king, hundreds of these towering brick and concrete monoliths were dotted around Britain’s towns and countryside. Most were a bit of an eyesore and what spewed from their chimneys had something of a detrimental effect on man, nature and newly strung-up washing.

There was the odd exception, from an aesthetic perspective at least. London’s iconic Battersea Power Station - now home to some trendy shops, bars and associated “leisure facilities” - is notable for its appearance on the cover of prog-rock legend Pink Floyd’s 1977 album Animals, complete with floating pig.

Today, nearly every one of those grand old structures has been decommissioned and the vast majority have been demolished. Of course, we still have nuclear and oil and natural gas-fired facilities of some significance, but these days the landscape is increasingly dominated by wind turbines. Thousands of the things, in the relentless pursuit to wean us off fossil fuels and achieve those much-vaunted global net zero goals. These 21st century windmills have been getting ever taller, ever more powerful and ever more contentious. Given the planning challenges and frequent objections encountered on land, wind farm developers have been pushing out to sea, where there’s less hot air and even more of the blowy stuff.

Renewable energy storage specialist Apatura has secured planning permission to build and operate a new 100 megawatt (MW) capacity Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at Tealing near the city of Dundee on Scotland’s east coast. | Apatura

The onward march of the wind turbine has led to an increase in the use of so-called battery energy storage systems (BESS). These consist of one or more large batteries that store electrical power for use at a later time. They can be charged using excess electricity generated by wind or solar farms, for example, or by grid connection during periods of lower demand.

It all sounds simple enough - essentially a much larger version of the portable power banks that some heavy mobile device users feel obliged to hump around with them. In reality, industrial-scale battery storage systems are packed with advanced tech that allows them to capture the electrical energy and discharge it in the most efficient manner possible.

Trouble is, for those backing their rollout, battery energy storage systems are attracting the same sort of nimbyism as those tall twirly things have. And, perhaps, some of that opposition is justified.

Recent proposals for a battery storage facility that would involve more than a dozen shipping containers being placed in croft land in the Highlands sparked anger from some local residents. Householders in the village of Clynelish, near Brora, warned the proposals would be “like having an industrial caravan park outside your house”. They also raised concerns over the risk of fire and claimed there would be a constant humming sound in the “peaceful” valley.

A public meeting held on the plans was attended by more than 90 people. Locals have argued that the facility should be located on a brownfield site, closer to urban communities.

An example of a battery energy storage system. These consist of one or more large batteries that store electrical power for use at a later time.

On an even grander scale, a battery storage scheme just outside the Angus hamlet of Tealing, north of Dundee, will see the installation of 52 lithium-ion batteries “securely” housed within large steel containers. Renewable energy specialist Apatura announced recently that planning approval had been granted for what will be one of the largest facilities of its kind in the UK. Perhaps surprisingly, given the project’s ambition, the local council is said to have lodged no objections to the proposed development.

Another large-scale battery storage scheme near Gartcosh to the east of Glasgow has also just been green lighted.

Detractors of these sorts of energy storage farms raise a number of concerns, besides the potentially negative visual impact. These include the relatively high upfront costs involved and the limited lifespan of the batteries. The reliability of BESS is also typically lower than that of traditional power generation sources such as oil and gas or nuclear.

One of the greatest fears raised in connection with battery storage schemes is safety, and the potential for combustion. Fires involving lithium-ion batteries are rare but extremely difficult to extinguish and those events have blackened the image of what is seen as a key source of clean energy.

Earlier this year, a fire at a California battery energy storage facility burned for several days, prompting evacuation orders. The blaze was said to have twice re-ignited causing major damage to the building while the local fire department warned that harmful gasses were making access an issue for firefighters.

And there have been other smaller scale incidents, including closer to home. In September 2020, a blaze at a battery storage site in Liverpool took almost 60 hours to extinguish.

Developers will point to the multiple safety measures put in place at their storage facilities, including round-the-clock monitoring and the installation of high-tech fire suppression systems. Those same energy storage specialists will highlight the advantages that such schemes can bring as the world looks to transition to greerer sources of power.

They are capable of storing excess electricity generated by renewable energy sources such as wind or solar farms, allowing it to be used at a later time when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining. The storage systems can also provide backup power during outages or extreme weather events, reducing the need for costly distribution upgrades or the transportation of emergency generators.

As more and more wind turbines spring up on land and at sea, and solar farms become an increasingly common sight, then the need for additional energy storage capacity can only grow. Developers may find it far from plain sailing getting some projects through the planning stages, but, in the battle to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the battery energy storage system, like some of those power stations of old, will become just another blot on the landscape.