Elements Green, a UK-based renewable energy developer, has launched the second phase of regulatory consultation for its 800MW Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park.
The solar power plant will also feature energy storage and has been renamed to reflect the focus on biodiversity which was a priority for the developer following local feedback in previous consultations. This second consultation phase runs until February 20.
“We believe that local communities have an important role to play in informing and influencing how our proposals for GNR Solar and Biodiversity Park evolve,” said Mark Noone, project director for the development.
“We are committed to delivering this project in a responsible manner and aim to consult as widely and effectively as possible, working with residents, businesses and community organizations to improve and strengthen our proposals as our plans for the project progress.”
Since plans were unveiled for the project, which is classed as a Nationally Important Infrastructure Project (NSIP) due to its capacity, Elements Green has worked with the RSPB, Sherwood Forest Trust, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and the Trent Rivers Trust to ensure the nature benefits from development.
The partnership is the first of its kind in the solar energy sector. As Chris Hewett, CEO of industry body Solar Energy UK, said at the time of the announcement, the public sees the impact on nature as one of the biggest concerns surrounding large-scale solar energy development.
During the first phase of consultation in February 2024, communities consulted on the initial proposals expressed a strong desire to protect and enhance their natural environment. As a result, the developer has committed to dedicating 850 hectares of the site exclusively to positive ecological management.
In late December, Elements Green revealed that when the GNR Solar and Biodiversity Park comes online, estimated to be in 2027, a flock of nearly 4,000 sheep will graze the solar park’s fields, which could increase to 9,000 once lambing begins.
The herd will be managed by local farmers Phil Weaver and Pete Wilson and will also serve as vegetation management, which Elements Green says will save the project £5 million in mowing costs over its 40-year lifespan.
The collaboration with Weaver and Wilson is intended to demonstrate how solar farms can coexist with agriculture. Agrivoltaic energy, the use of land for solar energy and livestock farming, has become an industry in itself as the addition of solar energy can provide a much-needed income stream for farmers.
