Ballingry: Fife Power plan a battery energy storage scheme

Scottish ministers will take the final decision on the proposals for the former Fife Power Station, just off the B9097, but the west and central planning committee will give their view on Wednesday.

A report to the committee explains: "The proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) would store electricity for release back to the national grid, thereby assisting in maintaining balance and stability in the national grid’s increasing reliance on renewable sources.

"This is in line with national policy to address the declared climate emergency and to slow down the impact of global warming, which aligns with Fife Council's own declaration of a climate emergency in 2019."

Fife Power 1 Ltd, a subsidiary of Cambridge Power Limited, want to use just over 8.5 acres of land for a BESS with a generating capacity of up to 100 megawatts.

This would include 27 battery enclosures, cabinets and power conversion units, a high voltage infrastructure compound, a new access track, landscaping, security fencing up to four metres high and CCTV.

Fife Power Station previously occupied the site but it closed in 2011 and was later demolished. It's now mostly grassland, shrubs and remnants of hardstanding.

Although it's mainly surrounded by agricultural land, there is a biomass facility to the north-west and the Westfield Energy Recovery Facility is to the east.

The Lochty Burn flows along the northern boundary.

One of the reasons the site was chosen was due to its proximity to the Westfield substation and cabling would be installed to establish a connection.

If approved, permission would last for 40 years and a financial bond will be asked for to help pay for the restoration of the land, should the company go bust.

There are also plans for a similar scheme at nearby Kirklands Farm.

Fife Power hosted two public consultation events, in October and November last year.

The main concerns raised by local people relate to the increased likelihood of construction traffic on local roads, the potential impact on wildlife, the potential fire risk and emissions and noise from the site.

The committee report concluded: "The proposal, subject to conditions, would be compatible with its surrounds in terms of land use and would cause no detrimental impacts on the site or surrounding area.

"The proposal would be considered acceptable in terms of its impact on road safety and its impact on the surrounding area in terms of landscape and visual impact, natural heritage, built heritage, amenity, flooding, contaminated land, sustainability and in terms of its impact on existing infrastructure."

If the committee does object to the plans and those issues cannot be resolved, a public inquiry would be held.