15th November 2026
Caithness has long been associated with energy production. From the nuclear industry at Dounreay to the development of onshore wind farms, the area has played an important role in Britain's changing energy requirements.
But another industry is now developing rapidly, and it could transform the local energy landscape just as significantly.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming an increasingly familiar feature of planning applications across Caithness. Developers are looking to build large installations capable of storing electricity and releasing it when the national grid needs it.
The number and scale of the proposals raise an interesting question. Is Caithness becoming one of Britain's most important locations for energy storage, and are our planning arrangements properly equipped to deal with this concentration of development?
A growing number of projects
The scale of the proposals is already considerable.
One of the largest is the Titan Battery Energy Storage Scheme at Upper Dounreay, near Thurso. It proposes a facility capable of exporting up to 500MW. Highland Council's North Planning Applications Committee considered the application in September 2026 and recommended that the council raise no objection. The final determination rests with Scottish Ministers.
At Phillips Mains Farm near Mey, a separate scheme known as Mey Energy Storage has received consent for a facility capable of exporting up to 300MW.
Another substantial development is the Spittal BESS project, also designed for up to 300MW. It received Scottish Government consent in September 2026.
The Achies BESS proposal, near Spittal and Halkirk, involves approximately 162MW. Highland Council considered this in April 2026 and recommended raising no objection.
At Limekiln, near Reay, Boralex has a further battery storage proposal associated with an extension to the existing wind farm substation. This remains in the Scottish Government's consideration process.
There is also the proposed Clach Energy Storage project near Halkirk, being developed by BayWa r.e. It has a proposed grid connection capacity of 456MW and is approaching the formal application stage following public consultation.
Meanwhile, the Loch Toftingall battery storage project near Spittal has already received consent and construction enabling works began in September 2026.
These are not all at the same stage, and some projects may change or never reach construction. Nevertheless, they demonstrate the scale of interest in the area.
The major projects alone represent a substantial potential investment in electricity storage infrastructure.
Why are developers coming to Caithness?
There is a straightforward explanation.
Caithness has become an important centre for renewable electricity generation. Wind farms produce substantial quantities of electricity, but generation does not always coincide with demand.
Sometimes wind generation is high when electricity consumption is relatively low. At other times, demand rises while wind generation falls.
Battery storage provides a means of addressing some of this imbalance.
Batteries can absorb electricity when it is plentiful and release it when demand increases or generation falls. They can also provide services that help stabilise the electricity network.
Caithness is particularly interesting because of its concentration of renewable generation and its existing and planned electricity infrastructure.
Developers are attracted to locations where connections to the transmission network are possible. Proximity to substations and major transmission routes can make a site more commercially attractive.
The proposed Clach project, for example, identifies its proximity to existing and planned electricity infrastructure as an important reason for choosing its location.
There is therefore a connection between the expansion of renewable generation, the construction of new transmission infrastructure and the growing interest in battery storage.
Are we building too many batteries?
This is where the debate becomes more complicated.
Battery storage is undoubtedly useful, but it is not unlimited storage.
Most conventional grid-scale lithium-ion installations are designed to store electricity for relatively short periods, commonly between one and four hours at full output.
They can help balance the electricity system throughout the day, but they cannot necessarily provide electricity through several consecutive days of low wind generation.
Other technologies, including pumped-storage hydroelectricity, hydrogen and longer-duration storage systems, will also be needed if Britain is to operate an electricity system increasingly dependent on weather-related generation.
There is also a question about the number of projects being proposed.
Action to Protect Rural Scotland has examined the Scottish battery storage planning pipeline and compared it with National Energy System Operator forecasts.
Its research, based on information available in 2025, found that Scotland had approximately 24.8GW of battery storage capacity in the planning pipeline, compared with a projected requirement of around 5.9–6.4GW by 2030.
The organisation argues that this represents a substantial potential oversupply.
These figures include projects at different stages, including those awaiting construction, and should not be confused with operational capacity. They are also projections rather than a guarantee of future demand.
Nevertheless, they raise a legitimate question. Are developers submitting applications because there is a genuine long-term need for all this storage, or because securing planning permission and a grid connection may have commercial value in its own right?
Not every project will proceed, and the electricity system will continue to change. But government needs to distinguish between genuine infrastructure requirements and speculative proposals.
What about local employment?
For Caithness, the economic benefits deserve particular attention.
Construction of large battery installations can provide work for civil engineering contractors, electricians, groundworkers, transport companies and specialist suppliers.
There will also be requirements for maintenance, security, monitoring and electrical engineering once facilities are operational.
However, we should not confuse construction employment with permanent jobs.
A large battery installation can occupy a considerable area and involve hundreds of millions of pounds of investment while employing relatively few people once completed.
Developers should therefore be expected to provide realistic figures for permanent employment, construction contracts and opportunities for local businesses.
There is also an opportunity for local colleges and training providers to develop skills in electrical engineering, energy management and battery technology.
If Caithness is to become an important part of Britain's energy infrastructure, local people should have a realistic opportunity to benefit from that development.
Fire safety and the environment
Battery installations also raise environmental and safety questions that need proper examination.
Large lithium-ion battery systems can experience thermal runaway, a process in which overheating spreads between battery cells and potentially between individual battery units.
Modern installations incorporate safety systems designed to reduce these risks, but planning authorities need to consider fire prevention, separation distances, access for emergency services and appropriate firefighting arrangements.
Water management, drainage, landscape impact, noise, biodiversity and the eventual disposal or recycling of batteries also require attention.
The Scottish Government published dedicated Battery Energy Storage Systems planning guidance in March 2026. It was prepared with input from planning authorities, NatureScot, SEPA and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
This is a welcome development, but the existence of guidance does not remove the need for detailed scrutiny of individual proposals.
Is the planning system looking at the bigger picture?
Perhaps the most important issue is the cumulative effect of all these developments.
Caithness is already experiencing major changes in its energy infrastructure.
Wind farms are being constructed or proposed. New electricity transmission routes are planned. Battery storage installations are seeking permission, while major data centre proposals are adding another source of demand for electricity.
These developments are connected.
A battery storage facility may help make better use of electricity generated by nearby wind farms. A data centre may provide a substantial new source of demand. Transmission infrastructure is needed to connect generation, storage and consumers.
Yet the planning applications may be submitted by different companies, at different times and to different decision-making bodies.
It is important that the combined effect is considered.
Highland Council has an interactive energy projects map which brings together major energy-related developments, including generation, transmission, storage and electricity consumption projects. The information is updated weekly.
This is a useful starting point for understanding what is happening across the Highlands, although it does not replace a national assessment of future electricity requirements.
Who pays for the infrastructure?
There is another important question.
Battery storage developers need access to the electricity network. Connecting large installations may require additional substations, cables and other infrastructure.
The expansion of renewable generation and storage also places demands on the wider transmission system.
These costs ultimately have to be recovered somewhere, whether through developers, network charges or electricity bills.
There must be proper scrutiny of how the costs are allocated. Households and existing businesses should not be left carrying disproportionate costs simply because large commercial developments have been approved without sufficient consideration of their wider infrastructure requirements.
Equally, we should recognise that well-located battery storage can reduce network costs and help avoid wasting renewable electricity.
The economic case needs to be considered over the lifetime of the projects, rather than simply looking at the initial construction investment.
An opportunity for Caithness, but at what cost?
There is no doubt that Caithness has an opportunity to become an important centre for Britain's renewable energy and storage industries.
The area has existing energy expertise, a history of hosting major infrastructure and access to renewable energy resources.
There could be opportunities for local contractors, specialist engineering businesses and training providers.
But there is a difference between attracting investment and simply becoming a convenient location for infrastructure that serves the rest of the country.
Communities need to see tangible benefits. Developers should explain what they will contribute locally, how many permanent jobs will be created and how environmental concerns will be addressed.
Planning authorities must also be able to consider the combined impact of multiple developments rather than treating each application as an isolated decision.
The Scottish Government needs to establish how much storage capacity is actually required, where it should be located and how it fits into the wider electricity system.
Caithness should not be expected to accommodate development simply because suitable land and electricity connections happen to be available.
The question is whether the benefits and responsibilities are being shared fairly.
Caithness may be on its way to becoming one of Britain's most important energy storage locations. But before we celebrate that prospect, we need to know how many of these projects are genuinely needed, how much permanent employment they will create and whether the local communities hosting them will share in the benefits.
Energy investment could provide an important part of Caithness's economic future. The challenge is making sure that the area gains more than a collection of battery compounds, transmission lines and construction sites.