The Scottish Government has granted consent for the construction and operation of the Smeaton Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a 228MW:456MWh project near Dalkeith, East Lothian. This development is set to significantly contribute to the decarbonisation of the UK grid, achieving estimated carbon savings of roughly 15,368 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year, according to Kona Energy, the firm providing the energy-storage technology.
The Smeaton BESS will store energy from renewable sources and release it during peak demand, reducing grid constraints and lowering energy costs for consumers. The project’s strategic geographical location will play a critical role in enhancing grid resilience and supporting the UK’s transition to a zero-carbon future.
Using the same methodology as previous Kona assessments, the Smeaton BESS is expected to save 15,368 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in its first year. This is the equivalent of offsetting the emissions from 17,328 average UK homes – not including heating.
The Smeaton BESS is strategically positioned to particularly reduce energy constraints and related costs on the UK grid. National Grid ESO estimates show that constraint costs could reach as high as £3bn in 2029, with the bulk of this coming from curtailing wind in Scotland.
Projects such as the Smeaton BESS are vital in bringing these costs down, reducing bills for consumers and preventing the waste of clean energy generation.
With the nearby Torness nuclear power station due to shut down in 2028, the project will also play a key role in improving local network stability.
The project aligns with Kona Energy’s ongoing work with the Electricity System Operator (ESO) and National Grid to mitigate energy constraints and improve network stability. Kona jointly wrote a proposal paper illustrating how ESO can use batteries to rapidly reduce the public cost of constraints. This was done in partnership with Zenobē, Eku and Field in response to the ESO’s Constraints Collaboration Project.
Kona Energy, advised by Opus Corporate Finance LLP, will shortly be seeking investment to bring the Smeaton BESS project to market. To support the project’s delivery, Dr Lu Zhang, previously with Hithium, a leading Chinese cell manufacturer, has joined Kona Energy as Technical Director. Dr Zhang’s expertise will be vital in maximising the project’s potential and ensuring its successful and speedy implementation.
Andy Willis, Kona Energy Founder, commented:
“This is fantastic news, adding to Kona’s growing portfolio of work. This project represents a significant step forward in decarbonising the UK’s electricity grid while providing tangible and real benefits in terms of cost reduction and energy security. We are eager to collaborate with investors and partners in order to deliver this project on a rapid timescale.”
“Tackling constraint costs is vital in not only bringing down consumer bills and preventing the costly waste of clean generation, but also for retaining public trust in reaching Net Zero. The huge financial burden of prohibiting wind turbines from operating is becoming a more relevant topic in the wider debate – rightly so. Our industry must do more to tackle this, and projects such as the Smeaton BESS will help to significantly reduce the waste involved.”
“Its strategic location will give it a unique role to play in drastically slashing constraint costs and consumer bills – that was one of the key reasons why our development team was so enthusiastic about the project’s potential.”
“I’d like to thank the Scottish Government for their positive engagement on the project, and look forward to working with them again in the future in order to deliver our shared Net Zero goal.”
