Councillors have backed plans for a battery energy storage facility near Kintore that could store enough energy to power 115,000 homes.
Conrad Energy had applied to Aberdeenshire Council seeking permission to install the project on land west of Laylodge.
The facility will store 49.9MW of electricity generated from nearby wind turbines and solar farms in lithium battery technology.
No electricity will be generated on the site itself, but it will store and deliver energy to the national grid when needed.
It will connect to the grid capacity at Kintore substation, providing energy during peak electricity periods or at times when a boost is required.
The site will store enough energy to power 115,000 homes for up to four hours.
It is anticipated that the site will be in operation for up to 40 years, and the ground will be restored back to its current state once the facility is no longer in use.
The application previously went before the Garioch area committee last month but members asked to defer it to get more information before making their decision.
It had attracted three objections from neighbouring residents.
Michael Stephen said the storage facility would be a “potential health and environmental hazard” and claimed that groundwater could be left contaminated should there be a “major catastrophe” on the site.
Meanwhile, Mike Shearer said the site would have an impact on the surrounding landscape and could lead to a drop in property values.
Concerns were also raised about the negative impact on wildlife in the area including badgers, foxes and roe deer.
But despite these objections, council planners had recommended the plan be approved.
They said it met both national and local planning policy, and noted that any visual impact would be addressed by adding appropriate landscaping.
Members of the Garioch area committee met earlier today to consider the plan for a second time and unanimously agreed to give it the go-ahead.
