Balance Power’s Scottish Battery Storage Project Approved

Balance Power has been granted permission to build a 29.9MW battery energy storage system (BESS) near Coylton, East Ayrshire. The project will use 18 battery units and span 2.67 hectares of land close to the Coylton electricity substation. It’s expected to start operating by summer 2026.

The company applied for planning permission in November 2023, and East Ayrshire Council approved it with conditions. Construction must start within three years, and the project will be allowed to run for 40 years. Within six months of finishing the build, Balance Power must complete the planned landscaping.

Balance Power held a local consultation and donated rooftop solar panels to the Ochiltree Community Hub. This is the second BESS project the company has had approved in 2025. Nearby, another company, Statkraft, is also working on a battery project and plans to double its size from 50MW to 100MW without needing a new environmental review.