Support plans to deliver clean, affordable energy, locally
We have submitted proposals for a 20MW solar farm, with battery storage, that would generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 7,900 homes.
By producing solar energy domestically, the UK can combat climate change, while becoming less reliant on expensive foreign gas imports for electricity and heating.
If you want the council to support the climate agenda, and approve these plans, you need to make your voice heard by Rushcliffe Borough council. You can do this by completing the form below.
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If you want to see proposals for a 20MW solar farm on land off Stragglethorpe Road approved, then let the council know by completing the form above.
Benefits of Heron Solar Farm
Heron Solar Farm is discreetly sized and positioned, over a mile from both Cotgrave and Radcliffe-on-Trent, and with good natural screening.
Heron Solar Farm will deliver enough clean domestic energy to meet the equivalent annual needs of over 7,900 UK homes – enough to power every home in Cotgrave, and more.
Energy generated by Heron solar Farm will save over 18,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually from equivalent fossil fuel energy – equating to taking 9,738 cars off the road each year.
JBM Solar is contributing £264,000 community benefit fund to Cotgrave Town Council, to support local organisations and initiatives.
95% of the site can continue to be used for grazing and will remain in agricultural use, allowing topsoil to recover, by increasing soil organic matter and improving soil structure.
A >50% biodiversity net gain providing ecological benefits through new habitats, such as wildflower meadows, grassland areas, habitats for birds, bats, insects, and reptiles.
Over £2.5 million generated in business rates over the lifetime of the project, to be used by Rushcliffe Borough Council to fund important local services.
Solar’s role in achieving net zero and strengthening energy security
While the UK has been progressing towards decarbonisation and reducing its reliance on fossil fuels, our energy system is still reliant on expensive foreign gas imports for electricity and heating. The cost of gas has sky-rocketed, impacting our energy bills and emphasising the need to invest in renewable technology and make the UK an independent and self-sufficient energy producing nation.
As such, the UK government has set ambitious energy market targets. One of the key strands of this policy is to utilise the country’s potential for solar power, with the Government aiming for 70 gigawatts of ground and rooftop capacity together by 2035, which is a five-fold increase on current installed capacity.
Moreover, solar energy is the most rapidly deployable renewable and low carbon energy source. The average permitting timeframe for a TCPA solar farm is under 2 years, compared to over 5 years for onshore wind and 10 years for offshore wind. This makes solar a critical component to making net-zero targets a reality.
With government forecasting placing solar as the cheapest source of electricity, developments such as Heron Solar Farm are going to play a key role in improving the UK’s energy security, while supporting the transition away from fossil fuels.