Explanatory Letter to the Community
Dear Neighbours,
A possible Battery Electrical Storage System at Pittlesheugh Farm
I want to update you since my letter in July which informed you of the project and invited you to our two rounds of Public Exhibitions where you could learn more and give your feedback on the proposed Battery Electrical Storage System (BESS) in our most south easterly field at Pittlesheugh Farm, beside the A697. Here is further information, particularly on how we have reacted to the feedback received.
It is very important to me that I provide you with the actual details of the project, and to provide you with accurate and factual information about the scheme and the technology which it would deploy. There is a lot of inaccurate information circulating about this project, and about BESS projects in general, and I therefore hope that this letter will, at least in part, counter this and provide those people who have concerns about the project with reassurance that the project will not have any major impacts in the local area, will deliver benefits and will assist with the decarbonisation of the electricity we all need, to the benefit of future generations.
Project Overview. This BESS will act to store excess ‘green’ energy generation, then exporting this when there is a need for the power, so significantly reducing the need for fossil fuels. It will be hidden from view, using next generation batteries with an excellent safety record. There will be benefit globally and locally. Potential impacts on the environment, the landscape and local inhabitants have been addressed and minimised.
Fire Risk. Pittlesheugh Farm BESS will use Lithium Ferrous Phosphate (LiFePO4) chemistry batteries (new industry standard). LiFePO4 batteries are known for their high level of safety compared to normal Lithium-Ion battery chemistries. They have a lower risk of overheating and catching fire due to their more stable cathode material and lower operating temperature. There are no known fires from BESS using such batteries. They use a fraction of the Lithium and Cobalt compared to Lithium-Ion batteries. Further information about Lithium Ferrous Phosphate batteries (also known as Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, not to be confused with Lithium-Ion batteries) can be found here, including comparisons with the normal Lithium-Ion batteries: https://ecotreelithium.co.uk/news/what-are-lifepo4-batteries/ .
Arable Land Use. It is necessary for BESS projects to connect to strategically located sub-stations, to manage daily peaks and troughs in energy demand and store more renewable energy generation. There are no alternative brownfield sites near enough to Eccles Sub-Station. Our recent research has considered these factors:
Food Production. For the BESS, 23.4 acres would be temporarily lost to arable farming, a small part of over 15,000 acres in our Community Council area, equating to less than 0.2% of the community council area. It is 3% of the arable farming acreage of our 771 acre arable farming business. While this is regretted, its loss is outweighed by:
Energy Cost Savings. Since we can't store excess renewable energy at the necessary scale yet, the National Grid Electricity System Operator has no option but to ask wind generators to turn off their turbines. In 2022 the National Grid spent £215million paying wind generators to turn off, reducing the total amount generated by 6%, and a further £717million turning on gas turbines located closer to the source of demand, in order to fill the gap. These costs are passed on in our electricity bills. [Data analysis by Axle Energy, using publicly available data from the electricity system's balancing market platform Elexon.]
Carbon Net Gain. The project will deliver a significant net reduction in Carbon emissions when operational. The temporary cessation of arable cultivation on the site would remove carbon intensive inputs of fertiliser and pesticides, and those associated with agricultural machinery from the site over a period of over 40 years. Intensively farmed soils also lose carbon and the temporary storage of topsoil in the proposed bunding will allow a recovery in the biomass and therefore carbon content of these soils. Of a significantly greater magnitude, however, are the predicted carbon savings which would result from the role of the project in maximising the use of renewable generation, chiefly be providing a means of storing this power during periods of over-generation and then exporting this power back to the grid. This directly offsets the use of gas for electricity generation. The proposed 340megawatt BESS would have an installed capacity of 680 megawatt hours which, as stated above, reduces, and offsets, the need to use gas for electricity generation. This BESS is predicted to prevent the emission of between 29,000 and 45,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Cumulative Impact – Site Selection. The National Grid badly needs BESS projects close to strategic sub-stations including the Eccles Sub-Station. The Pittlesheugh BESS has secured a grid connection and the proposed location has been selected within our farm on the basis of its low elevation, distance from houses and the capability we have through the design process to take advantage of topography and landscaping to, effectively, hide the project from view. The site is also a significant distance from the three other sites which are in the planning system closer to the substation, minimising any potential cumulative effects.
Landscape impact. Some people have been worried about a part of our beautiful rural landscape looking ‘industrialised’. For this reason we have gone to extra effort to hide the BESS from view, by lowering it while avoiding areas at risk of flooding, and surrounding it with carefully designed screening bunding. You can see 3D renderings showing the views from four key viewpoints, at Appendix A, along with the plan showing the adjusted site, over 250 metres from residential housing.
Environmental risk. Lithium Ferrous Phosphate batteries do not release any type of toxic gases or chemicals. We have commissioned an environmental consultant to conduct a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) of the site of the proposed BESS. The PEA sets out the baseline ecological conditions including a classification of the habitats present within the site and notes on their likelihood to support protected or notable species. All other habitats surrounding the site, chiefly existing hedgerows and woodland, will be retained and enhanced within the development.
Disruption during Construction Phase. During the 12-14 month construction phase, disruption will be minimised with the help of:
Restricting working to between 8am to 6pm on weekdays and between 9am and 4pm on Saturdays.
Agreeing to and complying with a comprehensive Construction Traffic Management Plan, to be approved by the local Highway Authority. Our assessment of the predicted construction traffic movements shows that in the busiest construction month, the average construction traffic would be less than one lorry per hour between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday only. This represents a very minor increase in existing HGV traffic which currently travels along the A697 through Berwickshire.
Three passing places will be installed between the A697 turnoff and the site entrance, improving the current potholes where vehicles have moved over for oncoming vehicles.
Community Benefit. If this BESS project is successful, I have voluntarily pledged £25,000 per annum of its useable BESS lifetime, index linked, to the benefit of the local community. This will be fairly and independently managed by Foundation Scotland (who manage several community funds), who will assess applications from charities, community groups and individuals who are struggling to pay their electricity bills.
I have addressed issues in more detail here: www.pittlesheughbess.co.uk, in particular on the Frequently Asked Questions page. You can also see better quality photos on the website than these printed ones.
I hope this additional information has provided reassurance and I hope you have found the information useful.
If you have any further questions, then please ask via my contact details above.
Yours sincerely
Will Ramsay