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Lincolnshire site will include battery energy storage system Island Green Power has been given the go-ahead to build a 46MW solar farm and battery energy storage system near Welby, Lincolnshire. South Kesteven’s planning committee has approved the Welby Solar Farm scheme, which is expected to provide enough clean energy to power around 14,500 homes. As well as featuring ground-mounted solar panels, the project will include a battery storage compound to store excess electricity. Island Green Power refined the plans following feedback from the public. Construction work is expected to begin within three years. Project Manager for Welby Solar Farm Sam Aitchison said: “We are grateful to everyone who took part in the planning process for their comments and feedback, which we used to refine our plans. “We will continue to liaise closely with South Kesteven and local residents to ensure the project is delivered in the best possible way.” The company has pledged to position the solar panels away from woodland, trees, ponds and areas of archaeological significance. The initial site layout covered 40 hectares, but this has been reduced to 19 hectares by removing a central field to create a habitat for skylarks. The panels will be arranged in rows spaced 4.5 to 7.5 metres apart and will rotate throughout the day to track the sun for optimal efficiency. Meanwhile the battery storage compound and associated facilities including a substation, inverter stations, CCTV and communications equipment, will be designed to be “as minimally intrusive as possible”, the company said. Once complete, the solar farm will operate for 40 years, generating clean electricity that will be exported to the grid. Chief development officer at Island Green Power Dave Elvin welcomed the planning committee’s decision. He added: “Welby will build on our strong track record of delivering projects that make a genuine difference to sustainability, supporting the UK’s transition to clean, home-grown, renewable energy.” |
