Apatura obtains permit to build major Scottish battery project

UK-based BESS developer Apatura has secured planning permission from Scottish authorities to build and operate a new 100 MW BESS project.
The facility will be built on a 2.5-hectare site close to the village of Tealing close to the city of Dundee. It will be directly connected to the nearby Tealing substation via an underground cable. It will use lithium-ion batteries, comprising 52 in steel containers.
Apatura’s CEO Andrew Philpott claimed the project will be “One of the largest battery energy storage schemes operating in the UK.”
The Tealing BESS is the fifth battery storage project that Apatura has obtained planning permission for in the last 12 months as it focuses its attention on the Scottish market.
According to the company website, Apatura expects its first assets to be operational in 2026. It has 10 GW of projects in the pipeline, most of which is Scottish BESS. In September, Apatura announced it had successfully secured permission for a 700 MW standalone BESS at Port Glasgow in Inverclyde.
Approval for the Tealing project was unanimous by the local authority, Angus Council, which said it would contribute to achieving Scotland’s national renewable energy targets.
“With its abundant renewable energy resources and viable grid connections, Scotland is poised to play a leading role in providing the clean, affordable renewable energy that will power the UK’s net zero future,” said Philpott.
He added that the proximity of the existing Tealing substation makes the site an ideal location for energy storage. The development plan includes some biodiversity protection measures to conserve the local wildlife.
“Battery storage schemes like the project planned for Tealing are an essential part of the infrastructure needed for the UK to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy, which will help to deliver stable energy prices and reduce bills for households. The UK’s transition to renewables will also contribute to increased national energy security and independence from imported energy. Apatura’s mission is to turn the UK’s renewable energy goals into reality.”