Woodheads Energy Park Location
Woodheads Energy Limited, part of the ABO Energy Group, hopes to build what it calls an energy park at Woodheads, which is located approximately 2km southwest of Lauder, in the Scottish Borders. The footprint of the proposed development site is about the same size as Lauder.
Woodheads Energy Park (shown in red in the map below) would be located close to the proposed Gala North Substation (shown in dark blue) and Sheepfold Energy Storage project (shown in pink) at Threepwood.
The Proposal
The speculation includes solar photovoltaics (PV), battery energy storage and ancillary development, including a substation and access tracks.
- ~100 MW of solar panel capacity
- ~100 MW battery energy storage capacity
Solar Farm
The proposed solar development would comprise:
- Security fencing around the solar area
- Ground mounted solar panels on steel frames, up to 3.5m tall and south-facing
- Inverters & transformers that will feed the produced energy into the main substation
- Maintenance roads
- Landscaping proposals
Each solar panel would sit at least 0.5m (~20 inches) above ground level, with a maximum height of 3.5m / ~11′ 6″. The distance between the solar panels would be between 2.8 – 3.7m / ~9′ 2″ to 12′ apart.
Battery Energy Storage System and Substation Compound
The proposed BESS and Substation compounds would include:
- 100MW BESS including inverters and battery transformers
- Security fencing around the BESS area and Substation compounds
- Lighting poles
- 110MVA transformer
- Control building, switchgear equipment and other associated infrastructure
- High Voltage substation
- Internal access tracks
A grid connection has not yet been confirmed.
What could it look like?
This view is from the trig point by Fordswell looking towards Lauder. The Southern Upland Way follows the wall in the foreground and passes to the left of the trees.
**This image shows less than one quarter of the proposed solar farm site.**
Below is what the site could look like from above. This image is taken from the developer’s website and represents a preliminary layout, not the final design.
READ MORE about the proposals on the developer’s website.