Would you buy a house near a Battery Energy Storage Solution site?

[AlleyRose]

Apologies for posting here - it's not really an AIBU, more of a what would you do? But it's not a well known thing in the UK - yet.

DS is almost ready to complete on a house but it's looking increasingly likely a BESS will be built on the green belt land 500m from the house. Would this put you off? Does anyone know if they're noisy? I know they're a fire risk but I think it's far enough away not to be a problem. He won't be able to see it, but will he be able to hear it? Anyone ever experienced one of these?

I think if your son is having second thoughts on buying this house, so will potential future buyers, reducing value and buyer pool. Sadly I’d walk away from this one, too many unknowns and it would be too late if he realises he’s make a mistake.

Yes that's what we're wondering.

I think house insurance might be expensive due to proximity and I just worry he'll end up in negative equity.

I think ultimately noise will be the biggest factor but I don't know how loud they are.

Absolutely harmless and silent.

Clean electric storage. A necessary addition to wind and solar power. We'll all be fitting smaller versions to our houses soon (we already have one).

I think ultimately noise will be the biggest factor but I don't know how loud they are.

This might be the stupidest thing I've read this year.

@MasterBeth

Thank so much for calling me stupid for asking a question.

This is what Google says. Do you have experience? Do you live 500m away from one?

They have to use cooling fans in hot weather and heaters in cold weather, which according to the Internet can be noisy.

I didn't call you stupid.

I said your comment was stupid. Read it back and you'll see it is.

I don't live within 500m of a BESS. But I do live within 250m of a community energy battery of around the same size as the one in your picture and I have a storage battery outside my own house.

Neither are noisy. Most commercial buildings have fans and condensing units and all new commercial buildings will be noise insulated. The main road another 250m away is much, much noisier.

Why will house insurance be expensive??!

Is he in a village in South Staffordshire by any chance?

It wouldn’t put me off at all, they’re not noisy unless you’re literally at the site and then not especially and it’s something we should be building more of in this country.

I work in the industry.

Yes there is noise from cooling fans. Check the planning documentation and you should be able to check the allowed noise levels and whether this is planned to be mitigated by screening, or whether the fans are positioned on the side of the BESS away from housing.

I would not have thought insurance would be an issue at all though. They are not designed to go on fire (in the same way a tall building next to your house is not designed to fall down on top of your house!)

Do you live next door to one?

I'd suggest the OP @AlleyRose finds one that's been in existence for a few years and goes and sits by it for an hour.

I'd worry about the acid leaking out and melting my feet.

@MasterBeth

Ok. So my comment is stupid but I'm not stupid?

People like you really put me off asking questions.

Many protestors are stating they're noisy. A quick Google search suggests they're noisy. I don't know how loud they are as I've no experience of them. Hence the question.

West Yorkshire. There are plans for around 10 near us!

Thank you - this is reassuring!!

This is a good idea. I have seen it and it mentions decibels in the 90s but I'm not sure how loud that is?

The good thing is that it's higher up than him so hoping the noise will travel up and across rather than down.

New fear unlocked 😂

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-66584335.amp

On 15 September 2020, a fire at a BESS site in Liverpool took 59 hours to extinguish and created a "significant blast", Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service said.

www.cpreherts.org.uk/news/are-battery-energy-storage-systems-bess-safe/

Former MP and government minister Maria Miller has raised significant concerns about the safety of large-scale BESSS_ in the UK. She has advocated for these facilities to be classified as “hazardous,” which would require mandatory consultations with the Environment Agency, Health and Safety Executive, and fire services during the planning stages. She has also called for a review of current and planned BESS installations to ensure they do not pose undue risks to residents or the environment, and that they are located appropriately to avoid harm to nearby communities.

This is the reason people are claiming their house insurance has gone up as a direct result of living close to one.

I can't believe they're allowed to build them so close to residential areas. The one I'm talking about is proposing 160 units - on green belt land 😔

Our local MP is very much for it but all the local councillors are vehemently opposing it.

I have no objections to the theory but wish they could be built well away from houses.

DS will lose over £1,000 if he pulls out now but I'm getting a bit concerned about what it could do to the value of his home.

I can't believe they're allowed to build them so close to residential areas. The one I'm talking about is proposing 160 units - on green belt land

It's "green," so you must the bad guy.