The Forest Gate solar farm in North Wiltshire, UK, is a 49.9 MW project with battery storage, developed by Eden Renewables and approved in March 2023. Notably, up to 20% of the solar farm will be owned by the local community. This community ownership model arose from collaboration between Eden Renewables and Zero Chippenham, a local climate action group. Zero Chippenham, with support from Bath & West Community Energy, established Zero North Wiltshire, a Community Benefit Society, to manage community ownership.

This initiative aims to generate significant community benefits, estimated at £5 million, and contribute to local initiatives to reduce fuel poverty and carbon emissions. The project demonstrates a successful model for community involvement in renewable energy development, with the potential for replication across the UK.

About Eden Renewables

Since 2010, the Eden Renewables team has led the industry with renewable energy and storage projects with a positive impact on the local environment and the communities that host them. Based at offices in Wiltshire and London, Eden’s UK team is working on several utility-scale onshore wind, solar and storage projects; commercial and industrial projects such as solar rooftops, EV charging and solar carports; and standalone battery storage. 

The company is committed to an ethical, transparent, environmentally-sustainable supply chain and we are a signatory to the industry’s supply chain statement supporting the Solar Stewardship Initiative that was launched in December 2023.

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Project Overview

SAS Energy, EDF Renewables’ commercial and industrial solar division, has constructed a large-scale solar farm in Kings Hill to supply clean energy to Kent County Council. The 11.9-acre facility utilises 6,480 solar panels and 24 inverters to generate approximately three million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, equivalent to powering 750 homes. This project is not only a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions by 621 tonnes per year but also incorporates environmental initiatives such as wildlife habitat creation and preservation.

About EDF

As Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity we’re busy building Britain’s own wind, nuclear and solar energy supply to reduce our reliance on energy imports and help prevent future price rises.

The post Kings Hill Solar Farm appeared first on Solar Energy UK.

More investment into solar energy can be expected following today’s Government announcement on support for the sector.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has given a budget of over £1.5bn for the sixth allocation round (AR6) of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, over 50% more than the previous round.[1]

The bulk of this will back offshore wind generation, responding to no bids being made by the sector in the fifth round last year.[2] However, the budget for ‘Pot 1’ for established technologies such as ground-mounted solar power has been raised by more than half, from £120m to £185m (in 2011/12 prices).

“This is further very welcome news for the solar sector, following yesterday’s consultation on planning rules and the approval of three large-scale solar farms only a week after the election,” said Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of Solar Energy UK.[3,4] “While all depends on the results of the coming auction, the increased allocation should allow many more projects to go ahead, driving down carbon emissions and energy bills alike”.

Successful bidders for CfDs receive a fixed ‘strike price’ for renewable energy generation, lowering the risks faced by developers from the varying wholesale price of power while ensuring that there is an incentive for investment. So the budget for AR6 should not be understood as a spending commitment, as payments will vary from time to time.

Furthermore, the scheme should also not be considered as a subsidy: when the wholesale cost of electricity is higher than the strike price from successful bids, as has been the case in recent years, the Exchequer receives the difference between the wholesale and strike prices. This cuts the costs of the scheme while still delivering on its aims.

The maximum strike price for solar power in the coming AR6 auction is £61/MWh, again expressed in 2011/12 terms. While raised due to the impact of inflation, it is still lower than any other technology, reflecting again the value presented by expanding solar generation.[5,6]

[1] Record breaking funding for clean energy in Britain

[2] Solar secures more Contracts for Difference than expected

[3] Planning consultation brings clarity for solar projects

[4] Industry lauds approval of three large-scale solar farms

[5] Large-scale solar provides cheapest power, says Government report

[6] Support scheme rise is boost for solar sector

– ENDS –

Editor’s notes:

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Gareth Simkins, Senior Communications Adviser

gsimkins@solarenergyuk.org

news@solarenergyuk.org | solarenergyuk.org

The post Solar sector hails increased support scheme budget appeared first on Solar Energy UK.

Solar Energy UK
31 July 2024

The solar industry has welcomed proposals to change planning rules for solar projects.

The consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), released yesterday, is intended to turbo-charge the delivery of renewable generation – and thus move the nation further towards cheaper energy bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions.[1,2]

The paper seeks to, “direct decision makers to give significant weight to the benefits associated with renewable and low carbon energy generation, and proposals’ contribution to meeting a net zero future. In doing so, this aims to increase the likelihood of local planning authorities granting permission to renewable energy schemes and contribute to reaching zero carbon electricity generation by 2030.”

The proposed amendments say that local authorities “should support planning applications for all forms of renewable and low carbon development,” giving, “significant weight… to renewable energy generation and a net zero future.” A further change would recognise that “even small-scale and community-led projects provide a valuable contribution to renewable energy generation and a net zero future.”

Land

One the consultation’s most critical aspects concerns the use of agricultural land.

Doing so would effectively remove a fundamental disparity between how applications for solar farms are considered by central and local government. This should help make the rules clearer for decision makers, make refusals less common, reduce the likelihood of appeals and therefore accelerate decarbonising the power system.

The EN-3 document governs applications for English solar farms with a capacity of 50MW or more and those above 350MW in Wales.[3] These are treated as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) and considered by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, on advice from the Planning Inspectorate.

EN-3 defines renewable energy generation as “Critical National Priority” infrastructure, whose “national security, economic, commercial and net zero benefits” generally outweigh any impacts. It adds that the grade of agricultural land that may be used for them “should not be a predominating factor” in determining applications.

In contrast, the current NPPF refers to the consideration of agricultural land for food production, which local planning authorities have used to refuse planning permission for solar farms. The footnote was added under the Conservatives last year.

“The industry will be glad to see the back of this provision in the NPPF, which was used a pretext for planning refusals. As Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said recently, solar farms do not pose a threat to the nation’s food security – and never will,” said Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of Solar Energy UK.[4]

Threshold

Another key aspect of the consultation is raising the 50MW threshold to 150MW.

Applications for Development Consent Orders for NSIPs come with greater burdens than those made under the Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA). More resources must be deployed towards the application itself and accompanying environmental assessment and consultation activities. Accordingly, few projects have come forward in the 50-150MW range as developers have not considered them cost effective. The department argues that the proposal should remedy this.

However, NSIP applications come with the advantage of clarity, whereas decisions taken under the TCPA can be inconsistent. Local planning authorities and the Planning Inspectorate have taken differing positions on the weight to be given to decarbonising the power system, high-quality farmland, visual impacts and development within the Green Belt. This has led to many successful appeals to the Secretary of State, with the cost of their unsuccessful defence falling on the taxpayer.

Although the changes to the NPPF are intended to resolve such issues, Solar Energy UK remains cautious about changing the 50MW threshold. The industry will consider the proposals and to what extent they would accelerate solar deployment in the next decade, which is the outcome we all want to see. The merits of changing the threshold have been debated for many years.

Changing the definition of NSIP does have precedent: battery energy storage systems were transferred to the TCPA in 2020, removing inappropriate costs and encouraging larger projects to be put forward, helping further decarbonise and improve the resilience the UK’s energy system.[5]

[1] Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system           

[2] National Planning Policy Framework

[3] National Policy Statement for renewable energy infrastructure (EN-3)

[4] Miliband slams food security fearmongering

[5] Infrastructure Planning (Electricity Storage Facilities) Order 2020

– ENDS –

Editor’s notes:

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Gareth Simkins, Senior Communications Adviser

gsimkins@solarenergyuk.org

news@solarenergyuk.org | solarenergyuk.org

The post Planning consultation brings clarity for solar projects appeared first on Solar Energy UK.

Project Overview

The Applicant, Berryhill Solar Farm Ltd is a company owned by Solar2, set up to facilitate the delivery of the proposed development. Solar2 is a UK owned and based specialist renewable energy developer, founded in 2019 by Paula and Gerry Jewson, former owners of West Coast Energy. The Solar2 team have a substantial track record in the successful development of renewable projects throughout the UK and are responsible for the delivery of in excess of 1GW of renewable energy.

About Solar2

Solar2 is a specialist energy developer and was founded in 2019 by Gerry and Paula Jewson, former owners of West Coast Energy. The founders of Solar2 together with the Solar2 team have a substantial track record in the successful development of renewable projects throughout the UK, being responsible for the delivery of in excess of 1GW of renewable energy

Solar2 has built up a significant development pipeline of Solar projects throughout the UK amounting to c 1200MW.

The post Berryhill solar farm appeared first on Solar Energy UK.

Project Overview

Tregonning Solar Farm is a large-scale renewable energy project under development in Cornwall, England. The solar farm will generate up to 49.9 megawatts of electricity, enough to power approximately 17,000 homes. This clean energy source will significantly reduce carbon emissions, contributing to the UK’s efforts to combat climate change. Additionally, the project will include battery storage to optimize energy output and grid stability.

About Renewable Connections

Renewable Connections is one of the UK’s leading solar, battery storage and hydrogen developers. The company was established by sustainable energy investment specialist, Armstrong Capital Management.

The Renewable Connections team is very experienced in renewables, having developed over 1GW of solar projects globally. They are committed to developing high quality projects, which see benefits delivered to local residents and the natural environment, whilst supporting the Government to reach its net zero targets and increase energy independence in the UK.

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Solar Energy UK responds to government proposals on solar farms

Solar Energy UK
Immediate release
10 October 2022 

Britain’s solar industry completely opposes plans apparently being discussed within Government that would severely restrict the development of solar farms in England. 

Environment Secretary Ranil Jayawardena is reportedly considering extending the definition of ‘Best and Most Versatile’ land to Grade 3b under the Agricultural Land Classification scheme.[1] This would have the effect of tilting the planning system against one of the very cheapest and greenest sources of energy available. 
 
The move is in response to false and baseless claim that solar farms threaten the UK’s food security.[2] 

Solar farms defend global and UK food supply because they address climate change, which is the single biggest threat to UK food security, according to Jayawardena’s own department Defra. 

 
Solar farms also keep farmers in business, providing them with a stable source of income in uncertain economic times, caused in the first place by the UK’s continued reliance on fossil fuels.[3] This is also the primary reason consumers around the country are facing a cost-of-living crisis. 
 
The construction of new solar farms directly reduces the cost of electricity by displacing colossally expensive natural gas. More than 2.2GW of solar capacity was procured in the latest round of the Contracts for Difference scheme, the government’s auction system for energy, at some of the cheapest prices yet.[4] 

The rapid growth of the solar industry overall means it could supply 17% of the UK’s annual electricity needs by 2035, supporting 60,000 jobs.[5] 
 
Government, industry and third sector polling has repeatedly demonstrated that the solar industry and solar farms are wildly popular among the public, across all age, political, and geographical demographics. 
 
Even if five times as many solar farms were built, they would occupy less than 0.3% of UK land – less than half the amount occupied by golf courses.  
 
Nearly 20 environmental and other groups also recently co-signed a letter by Solar Energy UK to the PM, Liz Truss, outlining these concerns.[6]  

 
Solar Energy UK CEO Chris Hewett said: “The UK solar sector is alarmed by attempts to put major planning rules in the way of cheap, homegrown energy. Solar power is the answer to so many needs and policy demands: it will cut energy bills, deliver energy security, boost growth and help rural economies. Ranil Jayawardena’s opposition to solar farms must surely make him part of the anti-growth coalition.” 

[1] Ministers hope to ban solar projects from most English farms 

[2] Briefing: Solar Farms and Food Security: The Facts 

[3] Leading farming union defends solar panels from Tory attacks 

[4] Analysis: Record-low price for UK offshore wind is nine times cheaper than gas 

[5] Solar Energy UK analysis based on National Grid figures. 

[6] Solar Energy UK joint letter on land use 
 

– ENDS​ – 

Editors’ notes: 
For further information or to request an interview, please contact: 
 Name: Gareth Simkins | Email: gsimkins@solarenergyuk.org 

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