John Swinney.
Investment fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners has announced it will build two more storage facilities in addition to the one already being constructed in Coalburn, South Lanarkshire.
When the three sites are completed in the coming years, they will have a combined battery storage capacity of three gigawatt hours and, in theory, will be able to supply 4.5 million homes with electricity for two hours.
The first site to the west of the M74, referred to as Coalburn 1, will be complemented by an additional battery park on the eastern side of the motorway, as well as another in Fife.
Each facility comprises a number of enclosures containing lithium-iron-phosphate battery packs, along with transformers linking them to the electricity grid.
Government ministers and energy industry leaders claim that battery storage will play a significant role in the implementation of renewable energy sources, as they store surplus power produced by wind farms and help to stabilise the energy network.
The majority of the project's cost is comprised of batteries, which are being provided by Canadian Solar; however, they are manufactured in China.
First Minister Mr Swinney and Acting Scottish Energy Minister Gillian Martin visited the construction site for Coalburn 1 on Wednesday. It is due to be linked up to the grid in October.
Speaking to journalists, Mr Swinney said: "This is a crucial part of our path to achieving net zero emissions. It's an essential component of building resilience within our networks."
The fact that Scotland has managed to attract such significant investment indicates that Scotland is very much open to investment and open for business.
He explained that Coalburn 1, located on the site of an old opencast coal mine, is "emblematic" of the journey Scotland has got to make.
Ms Martin acknowledged that some communities near potential sites for battery storage have expressed concerns about the proximity of such facilities to residential areas.
She said to the PA news agency: “The concerns that we've had from communities are about the location - whether it is in the right place with regards to housing developments.”
“However, there are very rigorous safety precautions in place for battery storage, so people don't have to be overly concerned about that particular aspect of things.”
She said that a balance has to be found between making Scotland a financially appealing place for energy infrastructure investments and ensuring developments take place in "the right location".
Ahmed Agarwal, partner at CIP, said: "CIP's latest investments in Scottish battery energy storage will support the UK's pursuit of a clean power system by 2030 and delivering a net zero carbon economy by 2050.
“Battery storage, ideally situated at sites such as Coalburn and Devilla, fortifies energy security, provides the national grid with greater flexibility, and enables cheap renewable energy sources to be used more quickly.”
Baroness Poppy Gustafsson, the UK minister for investment, stated: "This £800 million commitment is a significant endorsement of the UK's investment climate and supports our goal of becoming a leading clean energy nation."
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