RESIDENTS of a small Highland village have sounded the alarm over plans for a battery farm near their homes.
London-headquartered Opdenergy wants to create a battery electricity storage facility on croft land at Clynelish near Brora, Sutherland.
It would store the excess energy generated by wind farms and hydro-electric schemes until needed at periods of high demand for electricity.
But locals said the industrial facility would be inappropriate and have raised concerns about noise pollution and safety, the BBC reports.
The site at Clynelish is one of a number proposed for the Highlands including one near Mey, Caithness, and another at Garve, Wester Ross.
A 49.9MW-capacity site has been suggested for Forss, near Thurso.
The Clynelish site would sit on a vacant croft – but there are concerns that it could be too noisy for the “quiet” area and fears have also been raised about the look of the facility and the potential risk of fire.
Nick Lindsay, who lives in Clynelish and is chairman of Brora's Clyne Heritage Society, told the BBC the community believed it would be more appropriate on a brownfield site closer to an urban area.
He said: “This is a quiet residential and crofting community and it has been for 200 years since the Highland Clearances.
“The area is a gentle valley, about a mile-and-a-half inland from the sea.”
Lindsay said that the plans involved erecting 13 shipping container sized units to be surrounded with security fences topped with barbed wire.
He said: “The visual impact will be quite immense to local dwellings.
“It will be like having an industrial caravan park outside your house.”
A public meeting held on the plans was said to have been attended by 91 people.
Lindsay said concerns raised included fears that the cooling systems could generate a constant humming sound and the risk of fire.
Opdenergy told the BBC the chances of a fire were "remote" adding that safety was its top priority and the facility would have a "state-of-the-art fire suppression technology".
The company said that the development, if approved, would include extensive landscaping including the planting of trees and hedges to hide the site from view and soundproofing measures.
A spokesperson said: "The Clynelish site was selected due to its strategic location, which is ideal for integrating renewable energy sources into the grid.
"The project will play a crucial role in expanding the use of renewable energy by providing reliable storage solutions, thereby enhancing grid stability and supporting Scotland’s renewable energy targets.
"These facilities cannot be placed anywhere."
A planning application is expected to be submitted to Highland Council in the next few months.
