Island Green Power (IGP) has launched the public consultation on its early-stage proposals for a 500MW PV project in Norfolk, England.
If built, the East Pye solar farm would be located on land near Long Stratton in South Norfolk and would include solar panels and a battery energy storage system (BESS).
If the development receives consent, it will generate energy for distribution to the National Grid via a new substation and the existing 400kV overhead line that runs north to south between Norwich Main and Bramford substations, IGP said.
The BESS will store any excess energy generated and release it to the National Grid as demand increases, acting as an important way of balancing supply that will reduce power outages.
The generation capacity of East Pye Solar means that it is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and must apply for a Development Consent Order (DCO).
As part of this planning process, there will be several stages of public consultation during which IGP will ask for feedback on its proposals from the community, the local authority and wider stakeholders.
This will be used to develop proposals before they are submitted for examination.
Samantha Jones, project development manager for East Pye Solar, said: “We are excited to bring forward these plans for East Pye Solar, which if built, will generate clean ‘home grown’ electricity for homes and businesses, supporting the national ambition to achieve net zero while securing a reliable, affordable source of electricity.
“We are committed to developing our proposals with the local community and are pleased to launch the first stage of our consultation, which will run until Friday 6 December 2024.
“The feedback we receive will help us develop our proposals so that the final designs meet the ambition for the project and deliver benefits to the local area – from enhancing the environment to providing direct funding for important causes.”