A battery storage facility will be installed at Cove despite a fierce objection from the busy quarry next door.
Source Galileo Ltd wanted to build a 49.9MW battery energy storage system at Rigifa Farm, next to the Leiths Blackhills Quarry and close to the Redmoss substation.
The development includes 56 battery storage containers being placed on the site, along with a control building and other infrastructure.
It will link to the substation through an underground cable, and developers say the site could take nine months to get up and running.
Quarry bosses afraid battery storage site could harm granite excavations
The application recently went before Aberdeen City Council’s planning committee, which gave the project the go-ahead.
This was despite objections from construction and engineering bosses at Leith, who run the long-established Blackhills Quarry nearby.
The company’s HQ is based at Rigifa, alongside the granite quarry which is a “significant” source of construction materials for the north-east.
But bosses are now worried that the energy development would harm their operations.
Leiths planning and development manager, Colin Ortlepp, is worried the battery facility could impact how and where blasting operations are being carried out.
He wanted assurance that the health and safety of quarry staff and the wider community would not be put at risk by the development.
Mr Ortlepp also said Leiths was “extremely concerned” about the potential risk of fire or thermal runaway, and how quickly such a situation could be dealt with.
He added: “Our priority is to ensure that we can continue our business now and in the future without restrictions placed upon us by the presence of this facility.”
Battery storage site ‘crucial’ for Aberdeen’s energy future
However, David Bowman of agents Sustainability Unlimited argued that the storage facility was a “crucial piece of infrastructure” for Aberdeen’s energy future.
He explained: “As Scotland’s energy capital, Aberdeen is leading the way in the transition from oil and gas to clean energy and we see this proposal as part of that.
“This facility will help cement that by making more renewable energy reliable and dispatchable on demand, reducing reliance on fossil fuel, power stations and supporting local grid stability.”
Regarding concerns about the location of the battery facility, Mr Bowman said the chosen site was chosen due to its close proximity to the substation.
He added: “The applicant is not in the business of sticking a dart in a map on where they would prefer to put these schemes.”
And addressing any fire concerns, he said the firm would liaise with the Scottish Fire Rescue Service, adding: “nothing more can be done”.
What did the committee say?
Mr Bowman’s words were enough to convince councillors as they unanimously approved the facility.
However, they asked that a fire risk plan be submitted before the battery storage site begins operating.
This will ensure that any potential fire risks or accidents are limited, but suitable measures will be in place should anything happen.
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