Scotland based Intelligent Land Investments Group are bringing forward a number of renewable energy and energy storage schemes, including a 450MW pumped storage hydro facility close to Loch Ness and schemes totalling 1.5GW in planning. We’ve been speaking exclusively with Chief Executive Mark Wilson…

Q. How has Intelligent Land Investments Group been supporting the adoption of renewable energy and energy storage technologies?

ILI secured 96 planning consents for medium scale on-shore wind, more than any other company.  Recognising the need for energy storage, back in 2015 we started looking at different technologies.  We focused on Pumped Storage Hydro for long term storage with a target of 2 GW, and Battery Storage for shorter duration storage with a target of 1GW. Long-duration and Short-duration Energy Storage projects like this will be crucial in enabling the further deployment of renewable energy projects across Scotland and the UK, reducing our reliance on carbon heavy generators and helping towards Scotland’s net-zero target for 2045 and the UK 2050.

Q. ILI Group is working on a 450MW Pumped Storage Hydro facility at Loch Ness, how will this project be transformational on the local energy system?

There is an urgent need in the grid system in the UK for projects like this, but particularly in the highlands of Scotland.  Scotland is looking to close all of its coal powered stations and its last nuclear station is to be decommissioned earlier than previously thought.  At the same time the seas around the highlands are increasingly the focus for off-shore wind.  There is therefore a real need for projects like red john if the transition to a net zero grid system is to be achieved.

Q. You have an upcoming pipeline with schemes totalling 1.5GWs what are some of the most significant schemes set to come forward?

We have several utility scale battery storage projects in Fife either in construction or about to start construction, but our most advanced long term storage project is Red John. This recently received planning approval by the Scottish Ministers. We do have a further two PSH sites at the early stages of the planning process. The largest of these PSH projects will be able to provide 600MW of power, able to generate for over 48hrs!

Q. In addition you have 12 battery storage projects set to come forward, which regions have you focused on for these projects?

We have been focusing our projects in the Central belt and the North of Scotland where the greatest level of constraints to the Grid Network currently are. These locations will maximize the benefits of battery storage.

Q. What carbon savings are due to be delivered by ILI Group’s schemes and how are you supporting zero carbon ambitions?

We have made estimates of the carbon savings, but it is best to use Red John as an example because the figures there were subject to Public Local Inquiry.  For Red John we estimated a carbon saving of 45 Million Tonnes of CO2e over the lifetime of the development. Around half of this carbon saving comes because this project replaces services currently supplied by gas or coal fired powers stations. The other roughly half comes from the additional renewables that are facilitated by having Red John there to create demand and generate power.

Q. How has advances in technology been transformative on energy storage technologies and what have been the most decisive developments?

The technology for battery storage is improving all the time, and our understanding of how to use these efficiently and effectively is increasing the lifetime and the productivity of these developments.  There have also been improvements in the productivity of Pumped Storage Hydro in the decades since they were last built in the UK, and our developments will be built to the highest modern standards.