Redshaw Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is planned to be developed in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, to improve electricity grid stability and contribute to the UK’s transition to a low-carbon energy system by 2030.
The project will be developed by Glasgow-based renewable energy developer BayWa r.e.
Recommended White Papers
In March 2025, submitted a Section 36 application to the Scottish Government seeking consent for the 500MW BESS, following 18 months of detailed environmental assessments, design refinements, and consultations.
According to BayWa r.e, the development of Redshaw BESS requires minimal infrastructure, with an approved grid connection and a short underground cable route.
It will provide essential storage capacity by storing excess energy and releasing it during peak demand hours.
Once developed, Redshaw BESS will be the largest of its kind in the company’s UK portfolio.
If approved, the project will establish an annual community benefit fund. This funding will support local initiatives and developments throughout the project’s 40-year operational lifespan.
Under the tentative timeline, construction may start in 2029, with the BESS anticipated to begin operations by 2031.
Redshaw BESS Location
The Redshaw BESS is proposed to be located on land within the South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) area, approximately 3km south-east of Douglas in South Lanarkshire.
The site, owned by Douglas and Angus Estate, is located to the west of the M74 corridor. It is primarily used for sheep grazing.
Overall, the site covers an area of approximately 98 hectares (ha), with the Proposed Developable Area (i.e. the BESS development platform and internal access track) covering around 9ha.
The grid-scale BESS is expected to benefit from its proximity to the Scottish Power Transmission’s (SPT) planned 400 kV/132 kV Redshaw substation.
Redshaw BESS Development
The proposed development will comprise the construction, 40 year operation and subsequent decommissioning of a grid-scale BESS.
It will include up to 400 containerised battery units, each approximately 6m long, 2.4m wide, and 3m high, along with associated control units and electrical infrastructure. The number and size of battery containers required to achieve the 500MW capacity may change in future.
The project will also feature an on-site substation housing a 33kV switchroom and 132kV/33kV transformers, approximately 100 transformer stations, two auxiliary transformers, around 16 containers for storage and office use, and seven on-site water storage containers.
Additional works will include construction and operational access roads, new access tracks, site drainage, a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) attenuation pond, landscaping, planting, and other necessary infrastructure.
The proposed development is expected to have a 40-year lifespan. Once fully operational, the BESS will require minimal maintenance, primarily consisting of routine site inspections by technicians.
At the end of its operational life, the BESS will be decommissioned unless an extension is approved. The decommissioning process is relatively straightforward, with impacts similar to construction. Most structures and equipment can be easily dismantled and removed, as key components such as inverters are containerised and can be detached from their platforms. The substation, transformers, and storage containers will be disassembled and transported off-site using the same access routes established during construction.
Before decommissioning begins, a Restoration and Decommissioning Plan (RDP) will be developed in line with the prevailing legislation and policies at that time, subject to approval by the relevant statutory authorities.
Grid Connection
The development will be connected to the National Grid via the planned SPT Redshaw 400kV/132kV substation, located approximately 320m south of the site boundary.
However, this connection is not included in the Section 36 application and will undergo a separate design and consenting process.
