Vatenfall has put forward proposals to construct a new 66-acre solar farm near Herne Bay in Kent. This would be notably smaller than the 890-acre solar farm set to be constructed nearby at Cleve Hill.
While the solar farm will be smaller than Cleve Hill, it will still produce a good amount of energy to help decarbonise the grid. Vattenfall estimates that the 66-acre site will be able to provide 20MW of energy, which should cover the power usage of around 5,000 homes each year.
Vattenfall already has a contentious relationship with Kent, with the firm operating the Thanet and Kentish Flats offshore wind farms. It had proposed an extension for its wind farm off the coast of Thanet but was denied due to concerns surrounding blocked shipping routes and the effect on wildlife. That extension would have led to 34 new, more efficient turbines being sited 8km offshore. The new turbines would have provided more power than the existing 100 turbines.
Thankfully, the small scale of the Herne Bay site should see less opposition from planning officials. After all, Cleve Hill was approved and it was considerably larger than what Vattenfall has proposed. However, Cleve Hill was also heavily opposed by the local MP, as well as residents near the site, so Vattenfall could suffer a similar fate.
The company is currently asking for local resident feedback, but it’s hoping to begin construction on the site in 2021. It said that construction should be relatively straightforward, as it would share the existing grid connection and onshore infrastructure that is already utilised by the wind farms located offshore.
Chris Angell, solar business development manager at Vattenfall, noted, “Kent has huge potential to be one of the leading renewable energy hubs in the UK.
“We own and operate Kentish Flats, Kentish Flats Extension and Thanet offshore wind farms, which currently employ around 70 people and power over 400,000 UK homes.
“The development of innovative co-located wind and solar farms like Solar@Kentish Flats can aid the UK’s Green Recovery.
“We are committed to engaging with the local community throughout the planning process. To ensure the health and safety of our staff and the local community with regards to Covid-19 restrictions and guidelines we are planning to hold the information session online.”