In Lancahire, England, a solar farm has won planning permission for a location that was previously denied to Cuadrilla, an independent UK energy company, who had planned to develop a fracking operation just a stones throw away from the site.
LightSource, the company behind the solar farm’s development, has been working with landowners, farmers, businesses and schools to help them realise the full potential of solar power.
The local council’s decision to approve the development of the solar farm, which will be built just across the way from the Preston New Road site where Cuadrilla has spent years trying to get permission to carry out hydraulic fracturing, has gained widespread support from locals and anti-fracking campaigners.
“We are finding that across the borough people are more supportive of this type of renewable energy generation,” said Matthew Taylor, Fylde Council’s senior development officer.
According to reports, the Fylde Council’s unanimous decision to approve the application for the Staining Wood solar farm is subject to the completion of a habitat regulation assessment, which it is expected to pass.
The solar farm, which is expected to produce enough energy to power around 1,300 homes and save approximately 2,310 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, is expected to be operational by March 2016.
In addition, the company also intends to allow sheep to graze the solar farm, create “enhanced habitat corridors” and increase the area’s biodiversity by planting new trees.
Upon visiting the site prior to the planning meeting, members of Residents Action on Fylde Fracking (RAFF) became impressed with the plans for the site.
“RAFF has consistently promoted green energy as an alternative to developing shale gas in Lancashire,” said a spokesperson for RAFF. “As well as providing green energy, the plans for this site will enhance the biodiversity of our area, unlike those of Cuadrilla, which are set to destroy natural habitats, pose a threat to public health, destroy our agricultural and tourism industries, and contribute to global warming.”
Meanwhile, in contrast to this promising news, the UK government has announced that it intends to drastically cut financial support for solar energy generation. This news comes after Amber Rudd, the energy and climate change secretary, promised to “unleash a new solar revolution” in Britain following her re-election as an MP in May 2015.
In addition, planning approval for the 194 turbine, 970MW Bay offshore wind farm planned for the English Channel, has been refused by Energy Minister Lord Bourne. The farm, which was set to be located 13.4 miles off the coast from Bournmouth and 10.9 miles from the western tip of the Isle of Wight, was rejected by Lord Bourne because he concluded that it would lead to “significant adverse impact on the perception of viewers standing on the coastlines.”
It is a “missed opportunity … it means we’re failing to capitalise on the UK’s superb offshore wind resource and the economic benefits it brings,” explains Maria McCaffery, RenewableUk’s chief executive. “Years of hard work and significant investment went into developing this project which could have added £1.6 billion to the economy of the region and created up to 1,700 jobs – it’s most unfortunate that that has now been lost.”
In June, Amber Rudd told RenewableUK’s offshore wind conference: “You represent one of the 21st century industrial success stories. You – we – are world leaders. Pioneers. Innovators. The best business minds working with the best engineers, within one of the world’s strongest policy and financial frameworks.
“And working together we now have the most operational offshore wind here in UK waters than anywhere else in the world. And that is where 21st century industrial Britain should be – leading the world. As our friends over at the Department for Business would say – Britain is Great!”
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