Kona Energy secures local govt nod for 228-MW Scottish BESS project

UK energy storage developer Kona Energy said today that it has secured consent from the Scottish Government for the construction of a 228-MW/456-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) near Dalkeith in East Lothian.

The facility, dubbed Smeaton BESS, will store energy from renewable sources and release it during peak demand. The project will help eliminate 15,368 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually once launched into operation.

Kona Energy, advised by Opus Corporate Finance LLP, will shortly be seeking investment to bring the project to market, the company noted in the press statement.

The proposed project will comprise a compound containing around 100 energy storage containers. The site is located around 300 meters (0.186 mi) northeast of the Smeaton Substation, to which it would be connected. The scheme also envisages an electrical control building, transformers and switchgear, a notice on the Scottish Government website shows.

The Smeaton BESS project is part of Kona Energy's ongoing work with the Electricity System Operator (ESO) and National Grid to mitigate energy constraints and improve network stability. National Grid ESO estimates show that constraint costs could reach GBP 3 billion (USD 3.94bn/EUR 3.56bn) in 2029, with the bulk of this coming from curtailing wind in Scotland.

“The huge financial burden of prohibiting wind turbines from operating is becoming a more relevant topic in the wider debate - rightly so. Our industry must do more to tackle this, and projects such as the Smeaton BESS will help to significantly reduce the waste involved,” Kona’s founder Andy Willis, Kona Energy Founder, commented:

(GBP 1 = USD 1.313/EUR 1.187)

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