Battery Energy Storage Systems
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are installations which store energy when there is a surplus – for example, when renewable energy generation is high – and release it when it is needed the most, making the National Grid more resilient. BESS can be deployed as a standalone system or located next to renewable energy generators like wind or solar farms or assets like data centres which have high energy demand, and can provide a range of services supporting grid stability. As we move towards a net zero energy system, we will need increasing levels of energy storage.
BESS developments in Scotland
As of the end of September 2025 there was approximately 0.5 GW of installed capacity from BESS projects operating in Scotland, with approximately 2.7 GW which have been granted permission and waiting construction.
See the latest storage capacity statistics.
We published planning guidance to assist applicants, decision-makers and other participants in the planning system in March 2026. The guidance sets out how the planning process can ensure development is properly sited, well designed and responsive to its context.
Read the BESS planning guidance.
Environmental impacts of BESS
BESS will play an increasingly important role in our future electricity system as we grow Scotland’s renewable energy generation. We asked the James Hutton Institute (JHI) to carry out a scoping study into the potential environmental impacts of BESS sites.
Next steps
We will publish a call for evidence in 2026. This will provide an opportunity to share experiences and inform future considerations on BESS as the technology’s role increases. This includes communities hosting this infrastructure and developers undertaking these projects,