Green Cat Renewables has submitted a letter to Westmorland and Furness Council with proposals for a floating solar farm off the coast of Scotland.
The consultancy has asked the council for a screening opinion on the 35-40MW project, which would cover around 60 hectares of water at Cavendish Dock in Barrow Harbour.
Early development plans suggest the panels “will be mounted on floating pontoons attached at an optimal angle for the solar panels” and anchored to the base of the dock. The developers suggest that construction will require “worst-case scenario” activities over a period of nine to 12 months, with minimal ongoing visits from maintenance staff after completion.
Greencat Renewables notes that the post-construction development will have “minimal impact” and assures that the local angling club currently using the space, as well as the local community enjoying the walking paths around the quay, will be able to continue to use the site . area as normal.
In addition, significant environmental benefit could be derived from the site as the developers are currently considering planting wildflowers and native plants around the site as part of the development. The developers add that improvements for coastal waterfowl will be incorporated as part of the design, including “seabird nesting rafts” and “additional roosting structures”.
Floating solar energy is still underdeveloped in Britain
Floating renewable energy projects have largely focused on wind and hydrogen in recent years, while floating solar energy remains significantly less popular.
However, this could soon change as the recent budget increase in the latest Contracts for Difference (CfD) round allocated £270 million to emerging technologies, including floating offshore renewables.
Late last year, Nova Innovation deployed Scotland’s first floating solar demonstrator in the port of Leith, Scotland. This installation is used to directly power the headquarters of port operator Forth Ports and has proven its durability by successfully generating electricity during the intense weather conditions of Storm Babet, which hit Britain in October 2023.
