About the Project

RES is exploring the potential for a battery energy storage project on land adjacent to the Bridge of Dun substation, approximately 5km west of Montrose.

The battery energy storage project is not expected to exceed 4 hectares in size and will have a capacity of 49.9MW.

The site lies outside of any international, national or local environmental designations.

We expect to submit an application for planning consent to Angus Council this year.

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Design Layout and Infrastructure

The plan to the right shows the updated layout for the 49.9MW Dunmill Battery Energy Storage project. Minor changes have been made to the location which has been moved a few metres to the east, to form a larger buffer from the overhead line.

We are still consulting on this layout and as such it is subject to change.

The proposed system is a containerised scheme, involving proven lithium-ion battery technology which RES has deployed at multiple projects around the world.

The infrastructure would include:

• Battery enclosures
• Power Conversion Systems and Transformers
• Customer Substation
• Auxiliary Transformer
• Grid Compliance Equipment
• Grid Connection Infrastructure
• Security System
• Drainage Scheme
• Tree Protection Plan
• Landscaping

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Environmental Considerations

RES are designing the battery energy storage system so that it will fit sensitively in the surrounding landscape.

A number of surveys and assessments are ongoing to ensure any potential impact upon the environment, landscape, heritage and local residents is appropriately assessed and mitigated.

These assessments include:

Ecology

A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal will present the main findings of a desk study and walkover survey, categorising baseline habitats and conditions and their nature conservation value and predicting any potential ecological impacts from the project.

Landscape

A Landscape and Visual Appraisal considers the site and its surrounding context in both landscape and visual terms, to assess the potential effects of the proposed energy storage system upon landscape features, landscape character and visual amenity.

Heritage & Archaeology

The specific objectives of this assessment is to set out the cultural heritage baseline of the site as well as assessing the site’s archaeological potential. It will assess the potential effects of the project on the cultural heritage resource, within the context of relevant legislation and planning policy, and determine, should any predicted adverse effects be identified, how these effects can be mitigated.

Flood Risk & Surface Water Management

A review of flood risk from various sources has been undertaken to ensure the proposed development will not increase flood risk anywhere on or off site. The report will also set out the proposed surface water drainage solution.

Noise & Vibration

Noise is an important consideration, and the energy storage system is designed to comply with strict noise limits set by the determining authority should the project be granted consent. The scope of the acoustic assessment includes determining the baseline background sound levels and predicting sound levels from the project in order to assess the level of potential impact, in accordance with relevant planning guidance.

Transport

The Transport Statement will provide details of the proposed transport management arrangements during the construction of the project, if it is consented. It will also provide details of transport movements during construction and operation of the project.

Landscaping and Biodiversity Enhancement

The Dunmill project is being specifically designed to include planting of native trees, hedgerows and wildflower grass areas. These will not only reduce potential visibility of the scheme but also seek to enhance biodiversity by providing wildlife corridors and vital resources for mammals, birds, and insect species.

The illustrative plan to the right shows how landscape planting could be delivered along with other measures to protect and enhance the biodiversity around the site.

A Landscaping Masterplan will form part of the planning application and will also provide landscaping specifications for new vegetation in accordance with relevant standards. It will also provide information on the timings and aftercare regime for all planting.

Protecting existing trees and hedgerow has been an important part of the design of the Dunmill project. No trees or hedgerow will be removed to facilitate the energy storage system and there are no tree preservation orders (TPOs) at the location.

An Arboricultural Impact Assessment has been undertaken and includes a Tree Protection Plan (TPP) which will be submitted as part of the planning application. The TPP sets out how tree protection and mitigation measures will ensure all trees to be retained will be integrated into the project.

Included within the TPP are details of the location and specification of protective barriers to form a construction exclusion zone around retained trees, as well as measures to ensure proposed hard surfacing does not impact on the root protection areas of existing trees.

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Traffic and Access

All delivery traffic will access the site from the A935 running from Montrose toward Brechin. This route avoids the Bridge of Dun. At present, Option 1 outlined in the plan to the right is the preferred option for the delivery route and location of site access.

Throughout the construction phase there will be a combination of HGVs (for the component and material deliveries) and cars/vans (for construction staff), on site. Typically, there is peak HGV movements during the first few weeks of construction whilst car/van movements are expected to be constant throughout.

A Transport Statement will accompany the planning application, which outlines the overall framework for managing the safe movement of construction and delivery traffic. The Traffic Statement will also itemise the estimated number of deliveries over the 12-month construction period, if the project is consented, as well as the indicative spread of vehicle movements during the construction phase.

It is anticipated that all traffic movements will be carried out between 08.00 to 18.00 on Monday to Friday and 08.00 to 13.00 on Saturdays and at no time on Sundays or Bank or National Holidays unless otherwise agreed in advance with Angus Council.

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Why Battery Energy Storage?

Our energy system is in a transitionary period.

Ageing infrastructure is being replaced and greater flexibility introduced into our networks via technological advances, such as energy storage, to manage the increasingly complex supply and demand needs of the 21st Century.

Energy storage is crucial in enabling the rollout of zero carbon energy and supporting the UK’s net-zero emissions target.

Renewable energy technologies are needed to replace electricity generation from fossil fuels, and battery energy storage technology support the variable generation whilst playing an important balancing and grid stability role. 

Battery energy storage works by storing energy at times when generation exceeds demand and then releases electricity back to the electricity network when demand exceeds generation. Battery energy storage is also considered the fastest technology for responding to a sudden spike in demand or an abrupt loss of supply.

Electricity is not physically generated on site.