Fast-track of new grid connections in North Scotland – Aberdeen Business News

SSEN Transmission has raised the threshold at which new projects in the North of Scotland require a potentially lengthy and costly assessment before connecting to the grid, in a boost for businesses decarbonising across the region.

A four-fold increase in the threshold in which projects require a Transmission Impact Assessment (TIA) – from 50kW to 200kW – allows projects to save years’ worth of delays before connecting.

One project in the north region, in the form of a 130kW industrial customer connection, had previously been given a proposed connection date of 2031. Under the new guidelines, it is able to connect to the network as soon as it is ready.

The alterations will allow more renewable projects – particularly solar energy ones – grid connection much more efficiently.

The change impacts SSEN Transition’s mainland operating area in the North of Scotland, bringing the TIA threshold inline with the rest of mainland Scotland.

Around 35 customers – with a combined generating potential of over 5MW – will now be able to connect significantly earlier than anticipated.

Prospective customers will be able to save on application fees too.

Speaking on the announcement, Josh King, the Managing Director, Gensource, and Chair of Solar Energy Scotland, said: “We welcome the recent decision to reduce barriers to renewable energy generation and storage.

“This significant development follows ongoing dialogue between SSEN and Solar Energy Scotland (SES).

“The increase in the upper limit for renewable connections from 50kW to 200kW brings SSE’s limits in line with the rest of mainland Scotland.

“This move will be particularly beneficial for businesses in the North of Scotland, supporting them to decarbonise their operations and generate clean, affordable energy.

“We also welcome SSE’s commitment to keeping this limit under continuous review and look forward to ongoing collaboration between SSE and SES to remove barriers faced by industry. Such progress is essential to achieving the Scottish Government’s proposed ambition of installing 4-6GW of solar capacity by 2030.”

The TIA threshold in the islands remains 50kW due to transmission constraints.