Island Green Power has unveiled plans for a large-scale solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) project planned for development in Norfolk, England.
With a potential generation capacity of 500 MW, the East Pye Solar Project will be classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and will require a Development Consent Order (DCO) from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) before the development can take place. start.
The planned project would be located at various locations near Long Stratton in South Norfolk and is expected to have a lifespan of 60 years. The development will connect to the area’s existing transmission infrastructure, namely a 400 kV overhead line running between Norwich Main and Bramford substations.
The project is also designed with up to 500 MW BESS on site, in an effort to increase network flexibility in the local area.
The project is currently in the early stages of development; the first round of community consultations will begin this fall. Island Green Power expects the planning and approval process to take between two and three years and plans to submit the DCO application to DESNZ in late 2025. Environmental studies to determine the best location for development on the available land have already begun and will continue. presented as part of the upcoming community consultation.
Commenting on the launch, an unnamed spokesperson for the East Pye Solar Project said: “Solar farms have a role to play in the local community in which they are located, and we believe that the local community knows best what to expect from a needs such development. As such, we are committed to a robust and transparent engagement process, where we will provide recommendations from local communities on the benefits the project should deliver.
“Our proposals for the East Pye Solar Project would provide an opportunity to explore ecological improvements in the area, and we are committed to achieving a net biodiversity gain across the site. To achieve this, a number of measures to improve nature will be considered. We believe that the local community is best placed to propose, comment and provide feedback on these measures. We will look for this once we launch our first phase of consultations later this year.
“Ultimately, we believe that solar farms can and should live harmoniously with both the local community and the environment.”
The news comes hot on the heels of a huge win for Island Green Power, having recently been awarded a DCO for Britain’s largest solar farm.
