Good Energy revises Big Field

Good Energy has unveiled revised plans for the community-owned Big Field wind farm in Cornwall, which could be the first in the UK to operate without government subsidy.

The 11-turbine project was first put before local planners in 2014. The the updated design would raise the capacity to 38.5MW without increasing the maximum height of the turbines.

The company also plans to open up the project near Bude to investment from local people.

The new proposals were published today as part of information Good Energy is submitting to the Planning Inspectorate ahead of an inquiry scheduled to start in April.

Good Energy chief executive officer and founder Juliet Davenport (pictured) said: “This is a bold and innovative response to the challenges laid down by government to the renewables industry since the election last year.

“This project will give local people the chance to show their support for renewable energy, and all the benefits it brings both locally and globally, by investing in their own wind farm.”

Shortly after the May 2015 general election, the UK government announced it would end subsidies for onshore wind farms from April 2016, a year earlier than previously proposed.

Energy Secretary Amber Rudd said new onshore wind farms could still be built in the UK, but only on a zero-subsidy basis.

Davenport said: “We have listened carefully over the past 18 months to everything we’ve been told about the project, and to the wider debate around government support for renewables.

“As a result, we’ve come up with innovative new proposals using the latest, most efficient turbine designs that will deliver a greater power output from the wind farm with minimal additional impact.”

Image: Good Energy