AN “idyllic” crofting township is gearing up to oppose a planned battery energy storage development proposed by a Spanish company.
The residents claim the “completely inappropriate” industrial development is a potential fire hazard and pollutant that could have “catastrophic” effects on wildlife and the surrounding landscape.
The site at Clynelish Muir, Brora, is seven miles away from the nearest fire station which is served by a retained fire crew.
Spanish company Opdenergy, which until now has specialised in solar power, wants to build 13 container-sized storage units on a site metres away from residential homes.
“What is proposed is pretty horrific as the units will be full of lithium batteries,” said Dr Nick Lindsay, chair of the Clyne Heritage Society.
“It would be using crofting land in a local residential area which we don’t think it is a suitable place for it. It seems crazy to sell off assets when none of the money is staying here.”
He emphasised that the community were not against Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in principle but felt such developments should be located in industrial areas because of the risk of fire, pollution and the disturbance to wildlife.
“They have been known to go on fire and one in Liverpool burned for six days,” said Lindsay. “If one is sited here there would be a danger of wildfires and I would not like to be the householders living nearby because their homes would be engulfed.”
He added that the nearest resident was a crofter and honey producer with bees next to the site. “It’s just not appropriate,” Lindsay said.
The community first heard of the plans around two years ago when a speculative letter was sent out by Opdenergy offering to pay £75,000 annually for the next 40 years to anyone with land assessed by the company as suitable for a storage site near Brora electricity substation.
One crofter took up the offer but does not live on the site.
Lindsay said he was the only person who would benefit from the development as the householders living near the site had not been offered compensation and there was no proposal for payments to the community.
Opdenergy claims the development would not affect ground nesting birds as the site would be fenced off, meaning that predatory animals would be unable to gain access.
Lindsay said: “No ground nesting bird would nest in a place like that because there is a constant background hum of allegedly 75-80 decibels and the people living nearby will also hear this constant hum.”
So far, the community have written to their local councillors on Highland Council where the initial application has been lodged but Lindsay said they would take the matter further if necessary.
“We are gearing up for a fight and in it for the long haul,” he said.
The company has applied for the erection and operation of a BESS with landscaping and associated infrastructure to connect to Brora Substation with capacity up to 49.9MW. It is just under the threshold which would require it to be referred to the Scottish Government.
Last month, Highland Council passed an unprecedented motion seeking a holistic and comprehensive approach to renewable energy developments and strategies.
More than 60 community councils backed the motion to introduce a “real-time” mapping feature on its website to show the overall effect of energy generation, storage, transmission and connections in the Highlands rather than the current piecemeal approach to planning applications.
The motion has also asked for the leader of the SNP-led council to lobby the Scottish Government to put to an end to the so-called salami-slicing process of piecemeal renewable energy planning applications.
The council also agreed that special planning training should be given to community council members from experts on major energy development and a full review undertaken of the actions that Highland Council can legally take to ensure that local community views are considered in the planning process.
A Highland Council spokesperson told the Sunday National: “Reflecting on the decision of full council, a report will be brought forward to the Economy and Infrastructure Committee on November 14, making it clear how we will proceed to implement this.”
Opdenergy has been approached for comment.
