Landmark UK Solar Farm Report Reveals Substantial Environmental Benefits on Eve of Consultation

£900 million solar farm projected to deliver 840 MW of clean, affordable power to the National Grid – a significant step towards UK Net Zero.

UNITED KINGDOM , November 30, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ —
· >£900 million investment in Oxfordshire solar farm with further significant UK solar energy projects in the pipeline
· Projected to deliver 840 MW of clean, affordable power to the National Grid to provide major contribution towards UK Net Zero target and national energy security
· Project will provide minimum 70% net gain in biodiversity to the site
· Potential to generate 330,000 homes

Today, Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) launches its second community consultation into Botley West Solar Farm, a major new £900 million solar farm in West Oxfordshire.

Botley West Solar Farm is a landmark renewable energy project in the UK’s transition to Net Zero, projected to deliver 840 MW of clean, affordable power. This constitutes a significant contribution to the 54GW of solar capacity the Committee on Climate Change says should be deployed in the UK by 2035.

The solar farm, based in West Oxfordshire, will deliver secure, homegrown power directly to the National Grid, helping to reduce the UK’s reliance on imported energy, and could generate enough low-cost clean and renewable electricity to power approximately 330,000 homes, the equivalent for every home in Oxfordshire.

The developers have, in addition, released details on the projected benefits of the site for biodiversity and local communities. Its third party Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) shows that Botley West Solar Farm is expected to deliver a significant net gain in biodiversity to the site. It explains that low-grade farmland will be taken out of intensive agricultural use and replaced with grassland, meadows, hedges and habitats for pollinators, birds including skylarks, bats and other insects. The developers also highlighted a significant improvement in soil health and productivity over the lifespan of the site.

The site will, in addition, include Community Employment Plans to support local adult learning and skills for job opportunities, a Community Benefit Fund, and more affordable energy for local residents.

Mark Owen-Lloyd, Director of Botley West Solar Farm, said:

“Botley West Solar Farm will be a landmark renewable energy project, significantly contributing to the UK’s mission to achieve Net Zero. It is the first of a number of investments that are planned for the UK by Photovolt Development Partners, to deliver clean energy across the country.

“With dwindling numbers of gas-fired power stations and the contribution of the UK’s nuclear power stations set to fall almost entirely by 2028, projects like Botley West are vitally important to supporting the nation’s energy needs and strengthening our national energy security.

“While this is a project of national importance, we are committed to working closely with local communities to ensure that they, above all, benefit meaningfully from our projects. That is why we have provided a wealth of further details and independently reviewed data to keep residents abreast of the plans, and the benefits Botley West will bring to the local ecology and communities.”

The consultation, which will be open for ten weeks from 30th November 2023 until 8th February 2024, follows extensive environmental assessments and refinement to the plans, in response to feedback from local residents.

About Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP):

Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) is a developer of utility-scale solar power plants. The company covers all phases of development projects, from site acquisition, engineering, consenting, financing and construction management, through to commissioning and trading. Founded in Germany in 2009, the core team has been in the solar business for twenty years, successfully delivering projects with over 1GWp capacity. Its most ambitious project to date has been a power plant with 480 MW capacity, located on the remote island of Ukujima, Japan which will be connected to the grid via a 60km HVDC submarine cable.

PVDP holds ambitious plans for new major investments in the UK’s renewable energy infrastructure and green economy, of which Botley West is the first.

Anna Cacciaguerra Ranghieri
DRD Partnership
[email protected]