Scottish Ministers have approved plans for a 500MW/2,000MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Aberdeenshire, designed to store surplus electricity and feed it back into the grid when demand rises.1
The Abbotshaugh Energy Storage project, being developed by Island Green Power, will be located around 5km west of New Deer and will connect by underground cable to SSEN Transmission’s proposed Greens 400kV substation.2
With 2,000MWh of proposed storage capacity, the facility would be capable of operating at its maximum 500MW output for four hours. The developer says its grid connection is currently scheduled for 2033.3
The project has now been granted consent by Scottish Ministers. Its scale meant the application was determined under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 rather than through the normal local planning process.4 In Scotland, BESS developments above 50MW are determined by ministers, with the Energy Consents Unit administering the process.5
The battery facility itself will occupy around nine hectares, according to the developer, within a larger site currently used for agricultural grazing and forage crops. Proposals include battery storage units, an electrical substation, fire suppression systems and water storage tanks, internal access tracks and a sustainable drainage pond, together with landscaping and biodiversity measures.6
Battery storage is expected to play an increasingly important role as more variable renewable generation connects to the electricity system, allowing electricity generated when supply exceeds demand to be stored for use at times of greater demand.
Nick Bowen, project development manager at Island Green Power, said Abbotshaugh would “play an important role in supporting a secure and resilient electricity system”.
“By storing electricity and releasing it when it is needed, the project will help balance supply and demand and enable more effective use of Scotland’s renewable energy generation,” he added.7
The consent comes six months after the Scottish Government published dedicated planning guidance for BESS developments. The guidance describes battery storage as an evolving sector and says the technology can support grid stability as Scotland moves towards a low-carbon, resilient and efficient energy system.8
The Abbotshaugh project is expected to have an operational life of 40 years, after which provisions have been made for restoration of the site.9
Notes
[1] Island Green Power, Abbotshaugh Energy Storage – FAQs; [2] Ibid; [3] Ibid; [4] The Edinburgh Gazette, notice of application for Abbotshaugh Battery Energy Storage System under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989; [5] Scottish Government, Battery Energy Storage Systems: planning guidance, March 2026; [6] Island Green Power, Abbotshaugh Energy Storage – FAQs; Solar Power Portal, “Island Green Power secures consent for 500MW Aberdeenshire BESS”, 9 September 2026; [7] Solar Power Portal, “Island Green Power secures consent for 500MW Aberdeenshire BESS”, 9 September 2026; [8] Scottish Government, “New guidance on battery storage sites”, 19 March 2026; [9] Island Green Power, Abbotshaugh Energy Storage – FAQs.
