Associated British Ports (ABP) has submitted a planning application for what will be the largest floating solar project in the UK.
The project, called Barrow EnergyDock, will see 47,000 floating solar panels with an estimated capacity of 40 MWP installed in the port of Barrow, Cumbria. The proposed solar array would cover about a third of the available water area in the DOK, which means that the current leisure activities in the DOK can continue and even enable the possible expansion of leisure activities in the water. The solar panels are mounted on floating pontoons and are guaranteed by an anchoring system at the bottom of the dock.
ABP has commissioned environmental and engineering consultancy Green Cat Renewables to design the project and to deliver the planning application elements. ABP’s Marine Consultancy has conducted surveys from Marine Ecology to establish that no significant ecological effects will occur in the proposed developments.
The choice to install the floating solar energy as opposed to the ground mounted solar panels will ensure that Port Land will be stored for operational and production applications that support jobs in the area.
Kirsten Abbott, Group Commercial Manager (Energy) at ABP said: “We are delighted to submit the planning application for the Barrow EnergyDock, which is proof of ABP’s dedication to sustainability and innovation. It is in line with the goals set out in ABP’s sustainability strategy – Ready for tomorrow – and represents an important step in the direction of a greener future for the port. “
Could the floating solar sun increase?
The current largest floating solar development in the UK is a development of 6.3 MW in the Queen Elizabeth II -Reservoir, near London, while the development of Edinburgh, innovation of Nova Innovation, the headquarters of Ports has successfully eliminated since the end of 2023.
As investigated in a recent Solar Power Portal BlogThe UK currently has very little floating solar energy online, but research has shown that the UK could consider considerably from an increased roll -out of floating solar energy. According to researchers from Lancaster University and Bangor University, if the UK fully benefited from the floating solar potential – that the researchers defined as 10% of the surface of each eligible more with a floating solar installation – the UK could produce no less than 2.7 TWH electricity every year.
