Insights

A game-changing acoustics device for speedy site feasibility

Featuring unique data-pulling capability and a map-based interface for rapid noise-risk assessment, FaST is a tool with key applications in energy storage and beyond, and transformative potential.

Noise is a key constraint for many developments, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) are no exception.

While BESS are low-emission, highly valuable assets for grid balancing, their plant (inverters, HVAC, transformers, cooling systems) can create considerable noise over day and night. Planning authorities assess this against local amenity and national guidance, with strict requirements in some cases.

Noise mitigation is possible but comes at a price. Early, robust scoping of noise risk prevents wasted costs, programme delays and unnecessary site acquisition risks.

A real resource guzzler

Noise modelling is complex and BESS plant involves many items of equipment. It takes time to model in detail. Even if noise modelling can be turned around rapidly, the applicable noise criteria almost always require site-specific monitoring (quieter areas are more protected from new plant noise and vice-versa).

This can take several weeks, accounting for access, weather and local authority consultation. Following this process, if a noise excess is identified, this can either represent a planning consent risk or require significant redesign or expensive noise attenuation measures. Providing early site-selection feedback can help to reduce these risks, but, traditionally, even our experienced engineers would not be able to provide detailed, site-specific feedback at early stages.

Immediate, evidence-based estimations

The rapid site-scoping tool we’ve created is ideally suited to BESS noise risk assessment. FaST leverages our decades of acoustic consultancy experience and database of UK measurements  to provide an immediate, evidence-based estimation of likely noise outcomes for any potential site.

Check out the key capabilities:

• Rapid, consistent initial appraisal of noise risk for any UK location
• Uses best-available contextual data-sets and our measurement experience to estimate site characteristics
• Applies experience of past BESS projects to fill gaps where detailed plant data are not available
• Generates predicted plant noise at representative receptors and compares against common planning criteria (including BS 4142 principles and typical local authority limits)
• Identifies likely problem areas (e.g., critical receptors, night-time low background levels) and recommended next steps
• Rapidly evaluates the effect of site changes or basic mitigation (e.g. noise barrier)

How does assessment work?

The inputs required (what we need from you for a scoping run) are site location (postcode or OS grid reference); indicative plant footprint (m²) and approximate BESS capacity and substation transformers; plus proposed layout or closest receptor locations, if available.

The data sources and assumptions FaST draws on are national contextual datasets (noise maps, mapping data) to estimate baseline noise conditions, as well as our internal library of measured background levels from hundreds of UK sites across urban, suburban and rural contexts. It also draws on typical BESS equipment sound power levels by equipment type and size (derived from manufacturer datasheets and our own measurement archives), and simplified noise modelling accounting for distance, screening and ground effects.

Need for speed: an indispensable tool for developers

FaST gives an initial verdict immediately rather than in weeks or months, and flags planning risk early so you can factor mitigation or change site selection before contracts are signed.

Early elimination or prioritisation of sites reduces abortive survey and modelling costs later in the programme and minimises the risk of substantial expenditure on noise mitigation. In some cases, a detailed noise study could be scoped out.

Next steps

The initial review with FaST will suggest an initial red/amber/green risk rating, with typical recommended follow-ups looking something like this…

Green: a detailed noise study to be scoped out (subject to pre-application consultation), including a short note in planning pack
Amber: targeted background monitoring at representative receptor(s) to confirm baseline background levels and refine modelling
Red: avoid, or commission immediate detailed noise modelling with specific plant sound power levels, or consider alternative layouts/site selection prior to acquisition

Fancy a demonstration?

We’re happy to demo the capabilities and ease of FaST based on an example or illustrative site.

Alternatively, if you can provide a list of candidate sites (postcodes or grid refs) and an indication of likely plant scale/capacity, we can provide initial advice within days and walk you through how to interpret outputs and the most efficient follow-up strategy. We can also undertake a joint site review with our colleagues to consider other site risk factors such as energy economics and grid constraints and other planning considerations (landscape, ecology etc.)

We’ll agree scope, turnaround and commercial terms, and show you how FaST can de-risk your BESS site selection process. Double click on the video below to see a short clip of our new tool in action.

Let’s talk: matthewcand@hoarelea.com / bilalahmed@hoarelea.com / briandennis@hoarelea.com / matthewnaylor@hoarelea.com