A second solar farm is being planned for Romney Marsh, with consultation on the proposals near Newchurch open for another week. Three more solar farms are also thought to be in planning, with concerns raised about the destruction of prime agricultural land.
The Shepway Energy Park will be located in fields just north of the village in six different sites covering hundreds of hectares. The company says its proposed solar and battery development will deliver over 200 megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity and 400MW of storage capacity. It says the carbon-free electricity could power 73,000 homes saving almost 50,000 tonnes of CO2 each year. It would connect to the power network using the cables and pylons already in place.
In November last year Rye News reported on proposals for a solar farm at Old Romney.
Local opposition to the proposals centres mainly on the solar sites being built on farmland. says Amanda Farrant, a spokesperson for Hands Off Our Marsh. “We believe in renewable energy, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of our precious agricultural land and the unique character of our countryside. The UK has limited prime farmland and covering vast areas of it with industrial solar infrastructure, especially when efficiency is low during winter months, is not the best use of this vital resource.”
The latest project is being developed by SSE Renewables who say they hope to start building in five years time, with the site operational by 2033. The company also says that the new energy park is so big it will be classed as a “Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project.”
You can find more about the plans and the initial consultation process – which runs until July 20 – on SSE Renewables website.
Hands Off Our Marsh has organised an awareness raising walk this Sunday, July 13. It starts at 10am at Newchurch village hall. More information here.
Image Credits: James Stewart .
It is perfectly possible to combine solar energy generation with agriculture – it’s called Agrivoltaics. Solar farms actually have benefits for crop production – weather protection, moisture conservation, soil and air temperature regulation. It also requires re-thinking crops but that shouldn’t be too hard. And of course it delivers additional income. Switching from high GHG emission livestock grazing to crop production would also help. So all it takes is some re-thinking. I can understand concerns but it really can be a win-win for everyone.
Christopher you have obviously been taken in by the solar farm propaganda which you have to realise originates from the oil industry as BP Lightsource has been one of the prime movers.
When small solar farms were put in locally, part of the planning for the green credentials was that sheep would be able to graze under them. We used to graze some of these but it was soon decided by BP that it was easier to mow between the panels and not have sheep,
Regular mowing also does little for the suggested increase in wildlife and much of the area becomes sterile.
Putting solar panels on some of the most fertile land in Kent which will grow excellent crops of all types under all conditions would seem to be complete madness. None of the proposed land for solar panels is grazed at present. So the comment about high GHG emission livestock is spurious and inaccurate.
One of the main reasons the Romney Marsh is so fertile is because up to the 1930s half a million sheep grazed here and the resulting fertility they imparted (Now known as Regen Agriculture) is what helps to produce some of the highest yielding crops in the world.
If the solar panels are put on this land it will NOT benefit the environment or secure food supplies, only the companies drawing huge amounts of tax payers money to put these so called green projects in.
Replacing the Nuclear facilities at Dungeness would be a far better use of our money.
Like Christopher says, agrivoltaic is the way and is already being done in China and elsewhere.
I really think the person who says it can be a win win for everyone is ignoring the facts. When I drive or ride across the marsh its beauty is impossible to ignore and now the net zero fanatics are trying to industrialise our precious countryside. The management of our power infrastructure has been awful from one government to the next. We can only hope thet this Labour government goes quickly out the door.
I would be interested to learn how one operates crop harvesting machinery underneath solar panels. Mini combines?
Being referred to as a Net Zero fanatic is a badge of honour. I will wear it with pride