Douglas Lumsden MSP has urged John Swinney to look into regulating the batter storage industry amid fears rising numbers will lead to more fires occurring after a blaze broke out at a facility in Aberdeenshire.
At First Minister’s Questions, the North East MSP warned that more than 300 applications for battery storage sites are in the planning system, with more to come.
Mr Lumsden spoke of fears that the rising number of battery storage systems present fire, pollution and water contamination risks due to the high level of lithium-ion batteries being present.
He also wants to strengthen the role of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in planning applications relating to renewable energy sites.
It comes after a fire broke out at a battery storage facility near Rothienorman in Aberdeenshire last Friday, resulting in crews battling the blaze for four hours.
After FMQs, Scottish Conservative North East MSP Douglas Lumsden said: “Last week’s fire in Rothienorman is extremely concerning and the public are rightly worried about the risks these developments pose on their doorstep.
“There needs to be some level of legislation to regulate the battery storage industry to ensure the safety of the public is at the heart of these rising number of applications.
“In many cases, communities are being steamrolled into industrial zones through an unjust transition which residents are overwhelmingly opposed to.
“It’s imperative that the role of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is also strengthened in planning applications, which are being approved at alarming rates with very little consultation.”
In his question to John Swinney, Mr Lumsden said: “With the growth in renewable energy, we are also seeing a huge rise is the number of battery storage sites right across Scotland with over 300 in the planning system.
“Last week we had a fire at one of these sites at Rothienorman and constituents are concerned at the fire and pollution risks at these sites.
“At committee this week, SEPA admitted it is ‘concerned about the risk associated with battery energy storage systems and admitted there’s no current regulatory framework, or even a timescale on when a legislative change might happen.
“First Minister, these can be dangerous systems, so will the government take action to regulate the battery storage industry before a major incident occurs.”
In his response, Mr Swinney said: “I recognise the importance of the points Mr Lumsden puts to me. I will explore the point Mr Lumsden puts to me and will write to him.
“We must have a safe approach to the delivery of any battery storage plants.
“These are critical to the transition to net zero, but members of the public are entitled to reassurance on safety and I’ll give Mr Lumsden the definite response in writing.”
