A Nairn community group has objected to a planned energy storage facility, saying it is not suited to the rural area.
The application comes from Whirlwind Energy Storage, which wants to build 50 battery energy storage units on a field in the Househill area of Nairn.
The development would store excess energy from the national grid and release it back to the community at times of high demand.
Highland Council planners are happy with the application, and have recommended it for granting at a meeting of south planning committee next week.
But Nairn River Community Council fears pollution from the facility will damage food production and human health.
50 battery units for 50 years
Whirlwind Energy Storage is seeking planning permission for a large energy storage facility with an operational life of half a century.
The planning application includes up to 50 battery energy storage containers, a control building with switching and electrical gear, and containers housing the site office and storage.
The compound will be surrounded by 8ft-high security fencing, CCTV and parking.
Altogether, the centre is capable of storing 49.9 megawatts of electricity.
To release energy back to the grid, Whirlwind want to link the development to the existing Nairn substation at Granny Barbour’s Road.
The planning application states that this could be achieved by underground cables, but it may need overhead power lines. The nature of the connection is still to be confirmed.
Community council objects to Nairn energy storage centre
The application has won the support of Highland Council planners, and there are no objections from statutory consultees.
However, Nairn River Community Council says it breaks policy 67 of the Highland-wide local development plan, which refers to renewable energy developments.
The community council says the development does not provide renewable energy – it just stores the energy produced elsewhere.
Highland Council has a different take. Planners say that when renewable generators like wind farms produce too much electricity, storage facilities stop that extra energy being lost.
Instead, it can be fed back to the grid, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels for backup.
The report says energy storage is an emergent technology which is expected to support jobs and economic development in the coming years.
Health risk?
Nairn River Community Council has other concerns too.
They say the storage centre will have a detrimental effect on the rural area, especially agriculture. And they fear it will pollute the local area, harming trees, woodland and human health.
However, NatureScot and the council’s forestry officer have not objected to the plan. And while environmental health officers were initially concerned about noise, they say noise can be mitigated through planning conditions.
In its conclusion to the report, Highland Council accepts that the development could impact on views along the A939. But they say the neighbouring woodland will help to screen the site, as will additional landscaping and planting.
Overall, council planners believe the environmental benefits outweigh the concerns.
The application goes before councillors on the south planning committee on February 8.
Conversation