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Blackford Energy Park

Developed by Blackford Renewables Ltd

Site Status

Early planning

Complete

Public consultation phase

Complete

Planning application submitted

Complete

Construction

Q1 2028

Operations

Q4 2029

About

Developed by Blackford Renewables Ltd, Blackford Energy Park BESS will be a 500-megawatt project. The grid connection has been accelerated by NESO (National Energy System Operator) to 2029, and this will help enable more renewable energy generation to be connected to the Grid for CP30 (Clean Power 2030).

The project has been developed in accordance with local and national guidelines to cause minimal impact to the local area.

Why do we need a BESS?

Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power are becoming increasingly important, but they can be intermittent. This means that they do not always produce electricity when it is needed. Energy storage systems like BESS can help to balance supply and demand, ensuring that there is always enough electricity available. The UK is one of the world leaders in wind power generation and therefore a significant investment in supporting infrastructure is required. This is especially prevalent in Scotland where there is a lot of wind generation and transmission around the UK.

Responses to Concerns

Fire water run-off
Fires involving BESS are extremely rare due to extensive risk reduction measures. In the unlikely event of a battery fire requiring suppression, fire water run-off would be contained by on-site drainage channels and collected in a detention pond. This collected water would then be manually removed by a regulated waste management company.

BESS and Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) gas
The safety of the local community is a top priority, and we want to provide clear information regarding the safety measures in place at the proposed site. We are committed to ensuring the highest level of safety through advanced technology, rigorous safety certification, site design and close collaboration with emergency services for the emergency response plan.

HF gas is a chemical that can be produced in the unlikely event of a battery fire. The amount of HF gas release is highly variable and depends on many factors, including the battery chemistry and specific conditions of the fire and how it is treated.

Advanced battery management systems are designed to prevent fires from ever starting. A fire event is extremely rare. Our BESS is designed with multiple layers of safety to prevent a fire from starting, contain it if it does, and protect the community.

In the event of a fire, the gas would be diluted by the atmosphere, and the separation between battery units would stop the fire spreading between containers.

While a battery fire is an extremely rare occurrence, our comprehensive safety measures are in place to address such an event. Our goal is to prevent any safety risk to the public and the environment. We are confident that the combination of our advanced technology and our partnership with local emergency services will provide a robust safety framework for the community.

Site area
The total project area is 37 acres or 16.1 hectares, equivalent to 21 football pitches. Within this would be the battery park, substation equipment, solar panels, access tracks, landscaping and planted areas.

The approximate breakdown, as detailed in the Biodiversity Gain Assessment, is:

  • 6.5 hectares of battery storage, substation and associated equipment
  • 9.6 hectares of habitat creation, trees and hedgerows

Vehicle movements
As with any other infrastructure project, there will be vehicle deliveries to and from site. A construction traffic management plan was developed to investigate and mitigate any impacts. The assessment has shown the local road network will be able to accommodate the expected traffic and that routes through Rothienorman village will not be allowed. During the site's operation there is expected to be minimal disruption.

Largest operational BESS sites
The largest operational BESS in Scotland is the Zenobē Blackhillock site, with an initial capacity of 200MW and plans to expand to a total of 300MW.

There are several projects currently under construction over 300MW in the UK including Thorpe Marsh (1400MW), Monk Fryston (320MW), Coalburn (500MW), and Devilla (500MW).

Lifespan
The project will be seeking consent for up-to 40 years, the installation will not be permanent. The expected arrangement is the owner will be responsible for reinstating the site to its current condition, and there will be a bond with the bank and council to ensure there is the financial capital to complete the reinstatement.

Reported BESS oversupply
A nationwide initiative, known as the connections reform, is being spearheaded by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and the government. Its purpose is to regulate the construction of BESS by limiting new and existing grid connections, ensuring BESS facilities are only developed where and in the quantities they are genuinely needed. This means that even projects with existing planning permission may not proceed if their services are no longer required.

Impact on the electricity market
The site uses power connected to the grid in Scotland, where there is a high proportion of renewable generated electricity.

The concern that BESS pushes up energy prices is generally based on a misunderstanding of market dynamics. While it's true that BESS operators make a profit from the price difference between charging and discharging, this arbitrage activity doesn't create the price spread; it responds to it. The price spread is caused by the underlying supply and demand dynamics of the grid. By adding a large new source of demand during low-price periods (charging) and a large new source of supply during high-price periods (discharging), BESS actually works to reduce the size of the price spread.

In essence, the more BESS sites that are connected to the grid, the more effectively they will compete with each other, which will further reduce the difference between peak and off-peak prices.

BESS also generate revenue from several other sources by providing services to the grid including a capacity market contract.

In conclusion, the overall impact of BESS is overwhelmingly positive for energy price stability and affordability. By enabling the greater use of cheap, clean renewable energy and reducing the need for expensive fossil-fuel-based power during peak demand, BESS helps to create a more efficient and cost-effective energy system for everyone.

Public Consultation

Our public consultation process has now concluded. We would like to thank everyone who took the time to attend our events and provide feedback.

Responses to Public Consultation Feedback

The noise from the air conditioning units for the battery containers, as well as the additional transformer needs to be considered against the baseline of pre-Rothienorman substation levels, and additionally modelled for all six of the proposed BESS sites operating at the same time, along with the existing noise from the substation and the Grid Stability Facility
Based on guidance from Aberdeenshire council, a noise report will be submitted with the full planning application and shall assess the noise emitted from this project. In addition, the noise report will consider the cumulative effects of nearby developments, including the substation, Grid Stability Facility, and directly adjacent BESS project. The cumulative aspect is in order of consenting, so a new application will need to consider all those that go before.

It will need to be ensured that the cumulative noise levels at local dwellings fall within the NR20 criteria. An NR20 environment is characterised by very low background noise, comparable to a quiet bedroom or library, making it suitable for spaces requiring minimal disturbance. The criteria of an NR20 environment involves defining maximum noise levels, in decibels, for each octave band (i.e. groups of noise organised by pitch).

A baseline assessment of this project has already been completed by specialist noise consultants, which takes into account the nearby developments and existing background noise as part of assessing against Council requirements.

In addition, we understand that there is another BESS project nearby to local dwellings south of Blackford Energy Park. In both cases however, the cumulative noise levels are predicted to be far below the NR20 criteria at these dwellings.

This full report will be required to demonstrate that the site is compliant with the NR20 limits imposed by the Council. To ensure compliance, and to make sure there is no noise nuisance for local residents, the battery chillers/air-conditioners will be fitted with attenuation silencers. As well as this, there will be acoustic barrier fencing around the equipment which is used to absorb and deflect noise away. This report will be made public, and is reviewed by the council, the ECU, and their own independent technical consultants.
It is not possible to extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire - what is the plan for containment, both within the site, and cumulatively across all of the BESS sites? Particularly bearing in mind the fire at the local Overhill site, and at Tilbury Essex site just recently. An emergency response plan is required for the site and for the area as a whole - including evacuation of residential properties and livestock
An emergency response plan will be written once further site specifications have been finalised, ensuring any relevant NFCC guidance, including consulting emergency services and informing local residents, is contained within this plan. The site has been designed to minimise risk and impacts so that in the exceptional event of one battery catching fire, it will not spread to other battery units. Fire can not spread between individual sites as each site is significantly isolated from one another.

The composition of the batteries is still under consideration so unfortunately we are unable to provide further information at this stage.
There is not a mains water connection in Blackford. As water will need to be stored, what volume is required, and how will this water be sourced (if a borehole is used, this affects the private water supplies of local residents).
There will be large water tanks spaced around the site which could be used for fire containment if required. They will be sized according to the NFCC guidance and store approximately one million litres in total on site. Once filled, they will not need to be replenished unless used. The initial filling will not impact other water supplies in the area. It is likely there will be a private water supply installed for maintenance workers.
What is the plan to prevent water used going back into the local eco-system after it has been contaminated? If the water used to treat the fire gets into the local water table, that is not acceptable - residents all have private water supplies, and there is a burn that runs directly into Rothienorman village.
Highlighted by recent events in the UK and comments from the first public consultation we understand this has become a primary concern for those who could be impacted.

As part of our application, we have commissioned both a drainage report and private water supply (PWS) assessment. The PWS assessment outlines that we meet current 2024 Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) guidance outlining relevant buffer zones surrounding PWS for varying excavation depths, with identified flow pathways running away from all PWS identified in close proximity to the site.

The drainage report suggests methodology to capture any contaminated water in a detention tank, in the event of a fire, to prevent runoff into local waterways. This water is then taken offsite to be treated.
During construction, there will be major disruption on single track roads from both the 100+ construction workers arriving and leaving each day, along with the heavy goods vehicle deliveries for all of the concrete and the equipment. There will also be construction noise and light pollution.
During the first public consultation and the subsequent follow-up communication with the public, we have been made aware of the volume of construction traffic and personnel that have been using the lanes around Rothienorman in recent years. We are also aware that some sites have been illuminated throughout the night leading to significant temporary light pollution during their construction periods and understand the impact this has on the community.

Therefore, we are instigating a robust plan for the movement of construction traffic and personnel and to minimise, where possible, any light pollution during the construction period.

When operational, the site will be unmanned and not illuminated. There will be security lighting but this will only be used if required. There will be the occasional visits to the site during its operation for maintenance or breakdowns of equipment and for landscaping maintenance.

We appreciate that there will be some inconvenience to the general public during the construction period. Deliveries to the site will only be between the hours of 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturday and no deliveries on Sundays.

As a professional BESS developer who delivered the UK's first ever BESS project, we take our responsibilities seriously. We ensure that all our employees, subcontractors and third parties do not make use of unauthorised private property, nor discard litter from vehicles, or use unauthorised routes to and from the site, not observe speed limits or otherwise impact peoples quality of life beyond those that are required to construct and operate the site. We will provide a point of contact on site during the construction period to report any infringements.
Where are the guarantees that the land will be restored at the end of the 25-years of the project - for example, how is the concrete going to be removed from the ground, and is there a secured fund for the money required to carry out this work?
After the site has reached the end of its life, all equipment is removed from the site and repurposed, reused or recycled where possible. All construction materials, and cables at a depth of up to 1m, are also removed and are recycled where appropriate. The berms around the site are to be formed from the removal of the top soil during construction and this will be reinstated at the end of the project's life. By storing the top soil in the same field that it was removed from, this reduces the amount of traffic during construction and also reinstatement as new topsoil does not need to be reintroduced. Photographic evidence of the land is documented prior to any construction works being carried out to ensure the land is reinstated to the state as required by the planning authorities and the Landlord.

A reinstatement bond and the agreed mechanism will be a planning condition. The planning authorities (Local planning Authority and the Energy Consents Unit) are generally a named party to the agreement. The bond value is reviewed independently every five years by all named parties to ensure that there is sufficient funding in place for reinstatement as required by the Planning Authorities and the planning conditions.
This is a rural, agricultural area. The creeping industrialisation of this area is changing its character, changing the landscape and greatly impacting on the nature of the land. This impacts the people who live here, people who visit here and, most importantly, the animals who make this area their home.
We recognise that there is an impact, but do as much as we can to mitigate it through sensitive design. The land will be fully reinstated at the end of the project's lifecycle, as required by the Planning Authorities and the Landlord.

We are aware of the impact these projects have on the nature of the land, therefore, as a responsible developer, our landscaping plan, tree planting, introduction of nature corridors and creating habitats will enhance the area's wildlife whilst protecting existing wildlife. By planting trees of the local area, ensuring invasive species of plants are not introduced and not importing soil from outside of the area, we want the project to blend into the area and not impact people's day-to-day lives once operational.

The BESS project is a requirement for the transition to a fully renewable electrical supply and will provide grid stability and frequency services to the national grid transmission network as well as energy arbitrage (importing at times of renewable over-supply, exporting at times of under-supply).
Ongoing planning induces stress in local residents each time a new application appears. The stress and worry about impacts on our landscape, our environment and inherent risks with BESS facilities is adversely affecting our mental health. Stress also impacts on our physical health due to sleep deprivation, blood pressure etc.
As a responsible employer, we take the mental and physical health of our employees and those affected by our projects seriously. We do not underestimate the cumulative effect that the ongoing construction works around Rothienorman have taken on those affected. Our project is not due to start construction until 2028 and we will continue to modify and update our plans to ensure we minimise the impact on the daily lives of residents during the construction and operation of the site.

We want to ensure that any discharge into watercourses is done in a way that ensures that the project does not impact private water supplies, increase the flood risk, or contaminate burns (streams or brooks). We carry out extensive modelling and employ consultants to ensure that issues do not arise. Our consultants' reports are independently verified and will be made public when planning is submitted to the Scottish Energy Consents Unit.

We are contacting everyone in the area with a private water supply to enable our consultants to understand any measures that need to be taken to protect the supply of water. Please respond to the survey so we can help you protect it.
Recently, I have noticed changes in my Private Water Supply, road damage, littering, noise, light pollution etc.
This project's construction would not start until 2028, therefore anything you are currently observing is not related to this project. However, as feedback suggests, this is a common issue with other projects in the area. We have a responsibility to our neighbours and a duty of care to minimise disruption and be proactive in mitigating against potential issues before they arise.

We will ensure that the impact of the project to the surrounding area is reviewed and where necessary, take action against individuals employed by us, directly or indirectly and provide the public with recourse should problems arise. We intend to provide easy means of reporting nuisance to the site management, including named individuals, who can then follow up with contractors and delivery companies.
How can we trust your consultants and reports?
We use independent and reputable consultants who are paid by us to assess our project in the specific area they specialise in. They write a report with recommendations which we supply to the council as part of our planning application. These consultants rely on their reputation for future business, and their reports are always made public as part of the application process. The reports are reviewed by the council and the ECU, and their own independent consultants who verify and comment on the analysis. This ensures the reports generated for this project are accurate and adhere to local and national standards of practice. In this respect, the planning process is quite rigorous, and by following such procedures the quality of planning applications, and the conditions attached to their consent, lead to improvement in the quality of projects, and ensure mitigations are both proposed and enforced.

Site Selection

Proximity to the substation
The site is adjacent to the electricity substation which is an ideal location for electrical infrastructure which supports the grid.

Noise
A noise study has been undertaken which shows that the combination of equipment selected and site location will have negligible impact on local residents. The assessment checked for any cumulative impact from other nearby energy developments and infrastructure.

Visual impact
The site has been designed and landscaped to provide negligible impact to those who live around or are travelling through the area. The site will only be visible from a few view points and mostly obscured by trees and planting.

Private Water Supplies
A Private Water Supply assessment is currently being undertaken. If you have received a survey in the post, please respond so we can take appropriate action.

Fire Safety
Fire risk has been considered from the earliest stages of development and will continue to be a key focus for risk mitigation. The site will comply with the National Fire Chiefs Council guidance and the local fire service will be consulted for their comments throughout the design, construction and operational phases.

Heritage and Archaeology
A baseline assessment has been undertaken, and further trenching works will be required to assess the entire site area. Previous trenching works in the field have found no evidence of archaeological discovery.

Get In Touch

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with us, please contact us using the details below:

Send us an email at info@blackfordenergypark.com

Give us a call on +44 1242 500254

Documents

Introduction

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Project Overview

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Acoustics

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Construction Traffic

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Environmental Impact

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Fire Safety & FAQs

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Landscaping & Visual Impact

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Site Drainage & Water Supply

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Site Layout

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Detailed Site Landscape

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Your Feedback and Updates

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Site plan 1
Site plan 2

Additional Documents

2155 Drainage Strategy May25.pdf 2155 Flood Risk Assessment, May25.pdf 2155 Private Water Supply Assessment May25 .pdf 2875 Appendix A.1 - LVIA Figures 1-5.pdf 2875 Appendix A.2 - LVIA Figures 6-7.pdf 2875 Appendix B - Published Landscape Character Assessments (Extracts).pdf 2875 Appendix C - Visualisations Pack.pdf 2875 Appendix D - Methodology.pdf 2875-Landscape Strategy.pdf 2875-Landscape Strategy (Whole Site).pdf 2875 LVIA Blackford Energy Park 2025 05 08.pdf 250306 EIA Screening Letter.pdf BNG_Feasability_Report Rothienorman_500MW_BESS_Rev1.3.pdf Community Wealth Building Plan.pdf Construction Traffic 250425_BESS Rothiernoman CTMP_3.1.pdf Design and access statement.pdf ECU Screening Opinion - EIA Not Required.pdf Fire Assessment Report_1.4.0_P.pdf Heritage impact assessment AOC28087_Rothienorman_500MW_HIA_20250513.pdf Location Plan 1-10000 A3.pdf Location Plan 1-10000 A4.pdf Location Plan 1-25000 A3.pdf Location Plan 1-25000 A4.pdf Location Plan 1-50000 A3.pdf Location Plan 1-50000 A4.pdf Location Plan 1-5000 A3.pdf Location Plan 1-5000 A4.pdf LVIA Figures 1-6.pdf Noise impact assessment PC-24-0154-RP1-RevF.pdf Planning Application Cover Letter to ECU.pdf Planning Application Cover - Validation ECU Issue v1.pdf Planning Supporting Statement.pdf Pre-Application Consultation Report.pdf Segment 001 of E12482 April 2025 Desk Study Constraints Report final ISSUE.pdf Segment 002 of E12482 April 2025 Desk Study Constraints Report final ISSUE.pdf Segment 003 of E12482 April 2025 Desk Study Constraints Report final ISSUE.pdf Segment 004 of E12482 April 2025 Desk Study Constraints Report final ISSUE.pdf Site Plan NPL_RNT_LA_16_02_P.pdf Tree_Report_Rothienorman_500MW_BESS_Rev1.3.pdf