Tillbridge Solar farm, in Lincolnshire, has been given planning permission and the greenlight to go ahead
Permission being granted for the UK’s largest solar farm will be controversial to some, as complaints have previously flooded in objecting to the project.
Located east of Gainsborough, the solar farm will cover over 1,200 hectares.
Enough energy for nearly 300,000 homes
With the number of solar panels the project will have, it is expected to operate at a 500MW capacity, able to generate enough renewable energy to power 300,000 homes per year.
Chief executive of Tribus Clean Energy, Luke Murray, said: “We’re delighted to have confirmation that Tillbridge Solar has been granted consent, and we can’t wait for the project to start delivering clean energy for people across the UK.
“As we head to construction, we’re committed to continuing our work with local communities to ensure the project is delivered in a way which respects and works with the area.”
The development has been controversial, however, with countryside charity CPRE being outspoken against the project for being built on green land rather than brown or grey belt land.
Roger Mortlock, CPRE chief executive, said: ““The approval of a mega solar farm covering an area of high-quality farmland the size of Heathrow Airport highlights a deeply concerning trend: industrialising the countryside with ground-mounted solar while too many rooftops remain unused.
“We don’t need mega solar farms in the countryside.
“Previous CPRE research has shown that installing solar panels on the roofs of suitable domestic and industrial buildings, as well as on car parks, could easily deliver over 60% of the government’s target for solar energy.”
Solar will be at the forefront of the clean energy revolution
In June, the government announced that the Future Homes Standard is being updated to ensure that newly built houses have solar panels built in by default.
This will be the end goal of a phased change, beginning with houses requiring the capacity to have solar panels added easily, before solar panels themselves become a requirement.
Low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps, and more energy efficient electronics and technology are also all being proposed as additions to the standard.
Energy secretary, Ed Miliband, said: “Solar panels can save people hundreds of pounds off their energy bills, so it is just common sense for new homes to have them fitted as standard.
“So many people just don’t understand why this doesn’t already happen. With our plans, it will.
“Today marks a monumental step in unleashing this rooftop revolution as part of our Plan for Change, and means new homeowners will get lower bills with clean home-grown power.”
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