Back-to-back project approvals for developer RES.
October 27, 2026
UK-headquartered developer Renewable Energy Systems (RES) was granted planning approval by local authorities in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
RES received its first consent for a battery energy storage system (BESS) in Northern Ireland.
The Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Planning Committee approved the 50MW Ballyross BESS, which RES said is strategically positioned close to the existing Ballyvallagh substation.
The developer said construction is expected to take about 20 months, but did not indicate when that might begin. Although it is RES’ first BESS consent in Northern Ireland, the developer is been active in the region, developing onshore wind and a couple of solar PV plants.
Last year, it submitted a planning application for a project up to 100MW BESS, the Machaire project, to be located near Rasharkin in County Antrim.
Last year, it submitted a planning application for the Machaire project, a BESS of up to 100MW near Rasharkin, County Antrim.
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Causeway Coast and Glen Borough Council’s Planning Committee was, when RES submitted its application, expected to decide the project by the end of 2025. However, planning portal documents show that consultations are still being heard, with the most recent responses received as recently as 16 October.
RES has also been granted permission for its 49.9MW Bonnyknox solar development at Fallaws Farm in Arbirlot, Scotland.
The solar plant will deliver local benefits that could include RES’ ‘Local Electricity Discount Scheme’, which provides energy bill discounts for properties located near the development. This is a relatively new approach that some developers are taking to improve local support for renewable energy projects.
The Bonnyknox solar plant will also enable the agricultural land on which it will be constructed to continue being used, supporting sheep farming alongside the renewable energy generation.
As with the Northern Irish BESS, RES indicated the duration of construction, 12 months for Bonnknox, but not when that will commence.
Molly Green
Section Editor, Informa
Molly joined the team in 2024 and has led coverage on the UK sites. Now shifting to a more global view, Molly is interested in how legislation shapes market dynamics, covering the intersection of policy design, investment patterns, and energy transition pathways.
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