Solar energy developer Green Nation has announced plans to develop a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) for solar and energy storage in South Yorkshire.
The Whitestone Solar Farm, which will be located between Rotherham and Doncaster, is currently in the early stages of development. The first public consultation will start on November 18 and run until January 17, 2025. A representative of the project confirmed that Solar energy portal that the eventual development could supply up to 750 MW to the National Grid, while also featuring a battery energy storage system (BESS) of unconfirmed capacity.
Green Nation aims to submit its application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to the UK government in spring 2026, following two rounds of public consultations. If this timeline is met, a decision from Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is expected in the summer of 2027. If the project is approved, construction is likely to begin later in 2027, with an expected grid connection date of 2029.
The proposals include improvements to biodiversity, with a launch brochure from Green Nation stating that the plans will include the creation of new habitats for native species. The developer notes that plans to improve biodiversity will be based on environmental assessments and consultation with local experts, the Environment Agency and Natural England.
Jonathan Thompson, Founder and CEO of Green Nation, said: “We are excited to launch Whitestone Solar Farm, which will make a significant contribution to our national energy goals. We are still in the early stages of developing the project and encourage anyone interested in the proposals to meet us at the initial consultation and share their views on our initial proposals.”
Yorkshire: the next solar and BESS hotspot?
Yorkshire has become something of a hotspot for solar power stations and BESS developments in recent months and years, with several high-profile projects in the region.
On October 24, the 55MW Skeeby project in North Yorkshire, managed and operated by Atrato Onsite Energy, came online, becoming Yorkshire’s largest operational solar PV power plant. Atrato has signed a three-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with British utility OVO Energy, which will receive 49 GWh of electricity annually from the site.
At the end of October, renewable energy developer OnPath Energy broke ground on a 40MW solar PV power plant in West Yorkshire, east of the city of Leeds. Initial construction work is now underway and the first solar panels will reach the site in spring 2025.
German energy producer RWE is currently developing a solar NSIP in the East Riding of Yorkshire, having recently completed the statutory consultation period for the proposed 320MW Peartree Hill solar plus storage project. The final DCO submission is expected to take place later this year.
