Binn Solar and BESS farm will be developed by BLC Energy, a Perthshire-based renewable company backed by the Octopus Renewable Infrastructure Trust.
July 9, 2026
The Perth and Kinross Council, Scotland, has unanimously approved a new solar and BESS project following strong consultation from planners.
The Binn Solar and BESS farm will be made up of 60,000 solar panels and produce 39 MW of electricity. The on-site BESS will store excess energy, which it will then pass on to the national grid.
Binn Solar and BESS farm will be developed by BLC Energy, a Perthshire-based renewable company backed by the Octopus Renewable Infrastructure Trust – a fund run by UK energy supplier Octopus Energy.
The new project contributes to BLC Energy’s solar portfolio expansion, as the developer continues to pair solar farms and BESS to optimise the UK’s renewable energy generation.
“This is exactly the kind of well-sited, responsibly developed renewable energy project needed to help Scotland and the UK meet climate targets while improving national energy security,” commented Neil Lindsay, managing director of BLC Energy.
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Lindsay added that the site’s development will include input from the local community, and that the design will take the local environment into account.
“We’ll be adding 2.3 kilometres of hedgerows and planting almost 8,000 new trees that will mitigate any visual impacts of the development and considerably improve the site’s biodiversity," added Lindsay.
To provide benefits for Perthshire’s residents, BLC Energy has stated it will offer a community benefit fund “worth £500 for every megawatt of export capacity”. This will equate to £19,500 per year for the duration of the farm’s 40-year lifetime.
On the fund, Lindsay said: “We believe those living closest to any development should benefit most, so we are investigating whether we can establish a local energy discount mechanism to offer those households reduced energy bills.”
The Binn Solar and BESS Farm has an anticipated connection date of 2031, when it can start exporting electricity to the National Grid. BLC Energy expects construction to take six months and has stated it will prioritise local suppliers where possible.
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Catie Owen
Contributing writer
Since 2019, Catie has been writing news, interviews, client content and editing magazines. In recent years, her interest in sustainability has led her to pursue renewable energy as her primary beat. Having written primarily about solar energy and storage, Catie also enjoys covering the positive human impact of renewable technology.
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