‘Guinea pigs’ concerns over proposed Buncrana energy storage project

Residents living close to the site outside Buncrana of the proposed first iron-air battery storage project in Europe fear becoming “guinea pigs” for untested technology.

FuturEnergy Ireland has submitted a planning application to Donegal County Council for a long-duration energy storage compound at a site at Ballynahone near Buncrana.

The facility would comprise of a compound of around 3 hectares containing 248 battery energy storage units in the form of metal shipping containers.

FuturEnergy Ireland,  a leading Irish wind developer which is a joint venture between Coillte and the ESB, says the project is the first of its kind in Europe.

It  is designed to use iron-air battery technology capable of discharging energy at its full power output for up to 100 hours when fully charged.

The company says “this new form of​ multi-day storage is made from some of the safest, cheapest and most abundant materials on the planet: low-cost iron, water and air”. 

“The principle of operation is reversible rusting: while the battery is discharging, it breathes in oxygen from the air and converts iron metal to rust; while the battery is charging, the application of an electrical current converts the rust back to iron and the system breathes out oxygen,” the company said in a statement announcing the submission of the planning application.​​ 

It says the technology “has the potential to absorb enormous amounts of surplus Irish renewable energy during times of high output and provide the renewable power back into the Irish grid system when it is needed most: for example, during extended periods of extreme weather, grid outages or low renewable generation”. 

​​The company held a public consultation over the project in April which heard serious concerns from locals .

A group of residents, Buncrana - Fahan Against Untested Battery Storage, say the project will destroy wildlife habitats and could cause water contamination in the Crana River. 

In a social media post, the group said the development will destroy the natural beauty of the area and would be an unwelcome eyesore, devaluing the land in the local area. 

Local councillor Jack Murray, who attended the consultation in April, said there are very serious concerns in the local community over the technology proposed.

The Sinn Féin councillor said there are around a dozen houses close to the site with up to 60 in the vicinity.

“It is the first of its kind in Europe, so that means there are no [previous] experiences to discuss with anybody. They feel very much they could be the  guinea pigs for this technology in Europe. They have made, in the strongest terms possible, their concerns known at the meeting in April. They had another meeting during the week and they will be making objections.”

In response to concerns the company says the  inherent safety of iron-air batteries is one of the project’s strongest assets. 

“There is no reason to expect that Ballynahone Energy Storage will have any negative health impacts on the surrounding community. Thousands of experiments have been conducted on representative iron-air sub-scale cells to identify and ensure safe operating conditions,” the company said.

The company added that the project is being designed in accordance with all applicable best practice guidance and regulations. 

“As such we do not envisage any significant or adverse impacts on local dwellings and businesses, other than moderate and temporary traffic disruption during the construction period.”

Submissions on the proposed development can be made until October 27 with a decision due from the local authority by November 16.