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Consultation launched for proposed solar and energy storage sites of 'National Significance'

By Stephen Price
The proposed solar site

Plans are being developed for a renewable energy scheme of 'National Significance' consisting of solar and energy storage in north Wales.

Island Green Power, which is headquartered in London, says the Bodelwyddan Solar and Energy Storage project on the border between Conwy and Denbighshire 'will provide a source of renewable energy to help reduce carbon emissions and contribute to Wales' net-zero goals'.

It is estimated that the solar project could generate up to 110 MW of electricity, which is equivalent to providing enough power to meet the annual electricity needs of approximately 26,650 homes.

The solar component, located northwest of Bodelwyddan on land at Rhuddlan Road, will then be connected to a 110MW battery storage energy system (BESS), via a circa 5km cable connection.

The Battery Storage (BESS) site

The site will also be connected to Bodelwyddan substation, adjacent to the BESS site, as agreed with National Grid.

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National Significance

As Bodelwyddan Solar & Energy Storage has an export capacity above 10MW, it is considered a Development of National Significance (DNS) and so will be determined by the Welsh Ministers.

Nick Bowen, Senior Project Development Manager at Island Green Power said: “Generating clean energy that reduces carbon emissions is critical to our future, as reflected in Wales’s net-zero goals.

"We are therefore hopeful that the local community will attend our public consultation events to learn more about the initial proposals.

"We value early-stage input from the community, which is vital in shaping the emerging plans.”

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Community consultation

The following community consultation events are taking place:

2.30pm – 7pm on Wednesday, 29 January in Bodelwyddan Community Centre, Ronaldsway, Bodelwyddan, LL18 5TE

2pm – 6.30pm on Thursday 30 January in Towyn and Kinmel Bay Community Resource Centre, The Square, Off Foryd Road, Kinmel Bay, LL18 5BT

For those unable to attend the consultation events, a project website has been established.

Local residents in the vicinity of Bodelwyddan Solar and Battery Storage have also been sent a newsletter about the project and the consultation events.

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5 comments

Amir

The only place solar panels should be placed in on roof tops. Covering over green spaces with solar panels is unnecessary, not green as the land can no longer be used properly for agriculture, is a potential flood risk as those glass pieces need to be secured into the ground with concrete slab foundations and is done purely for profit to some far away organisation.

Reply
Rob Pountney

While I agree that solar should be on all roof tops (where possible), Solar panels on farms can actually INCREASE productivity, concrete slabs?, that would be windmills... Yeah, exporting profits is indeed bad, but TBH that applies to pretty much everything in Wales... (Link from a well known Dutch research organisation, so we're not talking about sun drenched arid regions, but places with a climate much the same as Wales) https://www.tno.nl/en/sustainable/renewable-electricity/sustainable-solar-land-water/solar-panels-farmland/

Reply
Amir

No, I did refer to concrete foundations for solar panels to prevent them being blown away. If all roof tops are filled and there is still a need for electricity generation, then may be we can look at this hybrid model. Unfortunately, Wales is a net exporter of electricity so unlikely the latter scenario will occur especially as hydroelectric and wind energy schemes are already in place and could be expanded without destroying nature. I would rather that legislation be put in place to ensure that all brownfield and existing buildings are utilised fully before destroying green site. Even in the website you provided, in the picture, it is clear that a lot of the greenery has gone from under the solar panels. It is something I see on the solar farms I run past on my weekly run. While windmills may ruin the scenery, the farms underneath them seem to do rather well. There are several large supermarkets and warehouses with nothing on there roofs. I am aware that amazon were in the headlines commissioning solar farms. I have not seen any solar panels on any of their warehouses. I am happy to be corrected if this policy has changed

Reply
Howie

Money headed to Ireland then.

Reply
Dr John Ball

"National Significance." Of which nation do you speak?

Reply

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The only place solar panels should be placed in on roof tops. Covering over green spaces with solar panels is unnecessary, not green as the land can no longer be used properly for agriculture, is a potential flood risk as those glass pieces...

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