Firm RES has 'listened carefully' to feedback on proposed Contullich Energy Storage System near Alness

A COMPANY behind major plans for an energy storage facility in Easter Ross says it has listened to the concerns of the local community before lodging an application.

RES has submitted a planning application to Highland Council for a 45MW energy storage proposal on land adjacent to the Alness substation, approximately 1km north-west of Alness.

The application is for installation of an energy storage facility including battery enclosures, power conversion units, transformers, substations, grid connection infrastructure, vehicular access and associated works at land south of the B9176 Struie Road.

The plans for the proposed Contullich Energy Storage System, which were displayed at two community consultation events last year, received what the company calls "a positive response" with over 80 per cent of feedback confirming either support or neutrality towards the refined design presented in September.

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The planning submission will be determined by Highland Council's North Planning Applications Committee.

Milo Amsbury-Savage, development project manager for RES, said: “Throughout the development of this project we have listened carefully and responded to local feedback, wherever possible. This has included moving our proposed access away from Corkscrew Road following concerns raised in our initial consultation. We’ve also ensured there is adequate planting on the northern boundary of the site, in response to comments about the view from the B9176 to the north.

“We would like to thank everyone who has taken time to engage in the consultation process and provide us with their comments. This feedback has helped positively shape the proposal.”

The project includes additional planting of native trees, hedgerows and wildflower grass areas. The company says this will not only reduce potential visibility of the scheme but also deliver a biodiversity net gain of over 100 per cent through the provision of wildlife corridors and vital resources for mammals, birds, and insect species.

RES says energy storage schemes like Contullich play an important role in helping manage the increasingly complex supply and demand needs of 21st century society and are a vital component of the transition to a zero-carbon economy. It says these flexible systems store energy at times when generation exceeds demand and then release it back onto the network when demand exceeds generation.

RES claims a strong track record of working with the local supply chain and is committed to ensuring that, wherever possible, local contractors are used on its projects. The project is expected to take around 12 months to construct, should it get the go-ahead.

RES has developed over 700MW of energy storage projects across the UK including Broxburn Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in West Lothian.

It claims to be the world’s largest independent renewable energy company and is active in onshore and offshore wind, solar, energy storage, green hydrogen, transmission and distribution. It says it has delivered more than 23GW of renewable energy projects across the globe and supports an operational asset portfolio exceeding 12GW worldwide for a large client base.

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