Belltown Power has submitted plans for its Leithenwater Wind Energy Hub, which includes co-located energy storage, to the Energy Consents Unit of the Scottish Government.
The final proposal comprises 13 turbines with maximum tip heights of 200 metres and includes a battery storage facility. The turbines, together with the energy storage facility and habitat enhancements, collectively make up the Wind Energy Hub.
The site is located approximately 4.5km northeast of Peebles on a ridge encompassing Dunslair Heights and currently comprises commercial forestry, open moorland and sheep farming within the Leithenwater Valley area.
Based on the current turbine unit capacity of 6.6MW, which is considered appropriate for the proposed development, the combined generating capacity of the turbines will be approximately 85.8 MW.
With the energy storage system included, which has an output capacity of approximately 10 MW, the total generation output capacity will be 95.8 MW.
Belltown Power’s project team has been working closely with relevant specialists in their field to carry out extensive site surveys and assessments.
Flurry of Scottish wind
The last month has seen several significant wind energy projects in development across Scotland specifically, likely due to the country’s natural abundance of wind.
For example, Fred. Olsen Renewables is set to proceed with plans to develop a hybrid onshore wind, solar, and battery energy storage project in Scotland.
The project, capable of generating 100MW of green energy, will be located in the Scottish Borders and see the implementation of a £7 million community benefit fund.
Fred. Olsen submitted plans for the Lees Hill Renewable Energy Park to the Scottish government, with the project already being subject to public consultation since 2022. The submitted proposals comprise six turbines up to 200m to tip, a 60MW solar installation, and 60MW battery energy storage.
The development will also facilitate a community benefit fund worth over £200,000 per year to the local communities closest to the site, totalling over £7 million over the project’s 35-year lifespan.
Prior to this announcement, Ripple Energy agreed with developers BayWa r.e. to secure the 14-turbine wind farm being built in the Scottish Borders at Whitelaw Brae.
The site has the potential to power more than 50,000 homes and generate around 145GWh per year. It will be developed by BayWa r.e., which has delivered 144 wind projects worldwide and installed about 2.5GW of wind energy.
People across the country can co-own the wind farm via a co-operative, powering their homes with up to 100% green energy, cutting bills and reducing their carbon footprint.
