Developer Banks Renewables has unveiled plans for a 200MW/400MWh BESS in Scotland, the same week its parent company agreed to sell it to investor Brookfield.
Plans for the Pond Energy Park feature a 2-hour BESS located near Bathgate, a town situated between Edinburgh and Glasgow. It is hoped that the proposed BESS will be operational by 2031, should it be approved.
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The project is expected to have an operational lifespan of 25 years.
An image of the site location and boundary can be found below:
More immediately, Banks Renewables is preparing for the first in-person consultation events, which will occur on 12 October 2023. These will allow members of the community to give their thoughts, help shape the proposals and highlight key local priorities which could be addressed using community benefits.
Brookfield to acquire Banks Renewables
In other news, Canadian investment firm Brookfield is set to purchase Banks Renewables in a deal worth around $1 billion (£820 million), a figure reported by The Financial Times. The seller is family investment firm Banks Group.
Banks Renewables has secured planning permission for 14 wind farms with seven currently in operation across Scotland. The organisation has also been expanding is solar portfolio. In May 2023, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council approved a 49MW solar farm and 50MW battery storage facility in South Yorkshire.