Perthshire-based BLC Energy, working with TRIO Power, has submitted two Section 36 consent applications to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit for renewable energy developments in Fife and Angus.
The applications are for the West Springfield Solar Farm and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) near Cupar, in Fife and Cossans Solar and BESS near Forfar in Angus.
Together, Cossans and West Springfield will deliver nearly 100 MW of generation capacity and 100 MW of co-located storage through the combination of solar panels and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
The BESS units will store surplus solar generation during periods of high output and dispatch it when demand peaks or the sun sets, helping National Grid maintain frequency and voltage stability and reducing reliance on peaking gas plants.
If the projects are consented, they will materially advance the Scottish and UK governments’ ambitions for a fully decarbonised electricity system by 2035.
Neil Lindsay, managing director of BLC Energy, said: “We’ve now submitted 200MW of projects into the Scottish planning system, with another 200MW planned before the end of the year.
“Our relationships with landowners, commitment to meaningful community consultation and expertise in the technology mean we have an excellent pipeline of projects.
“If West Springfield gains consent, we could start construction by 2026 and produce electricity by 2027.
“For the Cossans project, we are aiming for a pre-2030 connection, which will be decided through the ongoing grid reform process.
“Between them, they have the potential to generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 29,000 homes each year.”
“If Scotland and the UK are to meet their renewable energy targets, we need more of these real-scale developments.”
Local benefits
Each of the developments comes with an associated benefit fund of £500 per MW for the lifetime of the project, making around £1.3m available to the projects’ local communities over 40 years.
Lindsay said: “We believe the communities around these sites should decide how the money is best spent. For some communities, that might be a trust that provides money towards winter fuel bills or retrofitting energy-saving measures in homes. For others, it might be funding apprenticeships or investing in community facilities.”
Both projects are owned by TRIO Power Limited. TRIO Power is owned and funded by the Octopus Renewable Infrastructure Trust (ORIT), a fund managed by Octopus Energy Generation (OEGEN) and part of the Octopus Energy Group.
