The renewables arm of BayWa, in partnership with Grune Energien Solar, has received planning permission to develop the almost 50MW Rag Lane solar farm in the UK.
The project, located near Bristol in South Gloucestershire, will deliver approximately 52 gigawatt-hours a year of electricity to the national grid, equivalent to the annual electrical needs of approximately 15,000 homes.
It is also expected to increase South Gloucestershire Council’s renewable energy generating capacity by almost 30%.
Construction for the Rag Lane site is planned to commence at the beginning of 2023, with a grid connection expected to be secured in the second half of 2023.
BayWa r.e said it will provide biodiversity enhancements to the local area as part of the construction of the project.
This will include the reinforcement and planting of 1.7km of new hedgerows as a haven for wildlife as well as ecological connectivity and improvements to the public footpath that runs across the site.
The company added that it anticipates at least 20 local jobs to be created through the construction phase, with two to three long term jobs offered through the operational life of the project.
BayWa r.e. UK managing director John Milligan said: “If we are to meet the UK’s legally binding target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we need to start taking decisive action.
“The implementation of renewable energy projects is key to this and with the planning committee voting unanimously to grant consent for Rag Lane solar farm, we are motivated by the local commitment to contributing actively to meet these goals.
“Receiving planning permission for the construction of the project is also a huge milestone for BayWa r.e. and marks the first of our greenfield sites in the UK to be granted consent.
“It is a credit to the hard work of the whole team, and we look forward to continuing these efforts as construction gets underway.”