The UK’s first grey belt solar farm has been given the go-ahead following an appeal by Ethical Power, which will own the farm.
With an increased focus on renewable energies, this solar farm is an important step in the right direction towards the government’s renewable energy targets. The solar farm will be located in Burcot, South Oxfordshire, on grey belt land. Grey belt land refers to sections of land previously classed as green belt but of less significance to green belt purposes.
What contribution will this make?
The solar farm at Burcot is expected to make a significant contribution to the national grid, with around 49.9MW of energy produced. This is enough to power 19,000 homes.
This will go a long way towards the net zero aims specified by the UK government, which have the objective of significantly reducing the UK’s carbon footprint by the year 2050.
It is hoped that the permission granted for this grey belt solar farm will pave the way for more solar farms to be created on similar patches of land, playing a major role in the UK’s fight against climate change.
Solar power
Solar panels are an increasingly common sight on rooftops across the country, with more and more consumers becoming aware of the long-term benefits of harnessing solar power both in terms of reducing their household energy bills and in playing their role in our collective effort to use more renewable energies to power the country.
If you are interested in finding out more about solar panel options for your property, a specialist in solar panels Cheltenham, such as //gsmlimited.com/services/solar-panels/cheltenham, will be able to help.
As with rooftop solar panels, solar farms such as this one at Burcot create no pollution once they are installed, are easy to maintain, and begin to pay for themselves not long after installation. Another great benefit of solar farms is that the land around the panels is allowed to grow wild, creating an abundant natural habitat for the wildlife in the area.
