Planning Approved for UK's Largest Ever PV Solar Farm

The UK desperately needs to invest more in renewable energy technologies as it faces criticism from Europe over the lack of progress made in the sector, and the carbon emission levels that the nation still releases.

TGC Renewables, an independent renewable energy project developer, has just received planning permission to install the largest solar photovoltaic farm in the UK. The project will be completed in August of this year, and consist of 27,924 photovoltaic panels, to be laid out over five interconnected fields on a farm in South Brent, Devon. It will cover 15.4 hectares and have a capacity of 8MW, enough to generate power for 2,500 homes.

Farms are becoming increasingly more interested in the possibility of developing renewable energy installations on their land under the UK’s Renewable Obligation Certificate mechanism, as a guaranteed long term income.

Rob Denman, the director of TGC Renewables, said that “this project is one of a number of large multi-MW schemes we have in development as we respond to the interest and demand from the farming community for renewable energy.”

The planning was approved just one month after TGC started another similar PV project in Devon. They are in the process of installing 4,700 PV solar panels, for a total capacity of 3.6MW.

“We now have over 10MW in operation or construction, with plans to increase this to over 100MW over the next 18 months,” said Denman. “The main challenge is finding sites that are suitable and that meet the tough criteria that are required to obtain all the required permits.”

By. Joao Peixe of Oilprice.com