Proposals for new solar farm in Welsh county capable of powering 14,000 homes
Anthony Lewis, Local democracy reporter
A new solar farm planned for a Welsh county could provide enough power for nearly 14,000 homes.
Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, a renewable energy company owned by the Welsh Government, is inviting local people to find out more about its proposals for a new solar farm on Welsh Government owned land in Lavernock, between Sully and Penarth, in the Vale of Glamorgan.
The solar farm would generate up to 35MW (MegaWatts) of green electricity, enough to power approximately 13,800 homes.
The solar farm would be located near what has been described as the UK’s largest net zero housing development which is set to be built at Upper Cosmeston Farm.
Housing developers Barratt Redrow and the Welsh Government have agreed a contract to deliver 576 homes on the site
Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru also said it has ambitions to enhance nature on site, by improving and creating habitats for bees, insects, birds and mammals, improving access around the site for walkers and protecting the enjoyment of the Wales Coastal Path
It says profits generated from the project will be returned to the Welsh Government and can be put back into public services.
Mark Roberts, project manager at Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, said: “We’re looking forward to speaking to local residents and building strong relationships within the community.
“Our commitment is to listen carefully, answer questions, and feed what we learn back into the next stage of the design process.
“We’re exploring innovative ways to enhance our sites, so they work harmoniously for both local people and the surrounding habitats.”
The Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru team is hosting two local drop-in events which will include project information boards and maps.
The events will take place between 3pm and 7pm on Monday, January 12 at Sully Sports & Social Club in South Rd, Sully, and between 9.30am and 1pm on Saturday, January 17 at Lower Penarth Community Hall in Brockhill Way, Penarth.
The consultation runs until January 23 and more information can be found at www.trydanlarnog.wales.
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If they are building new homes, why not stick the solar panels on the roofs as they build them rather than taking up valuable farming land and having to import our food fron China then? It is unlikely they want to build the more expensive solar panels that allow farming to continue anyway.
Everytime you fill a car with petrol (until it is all electric) there is a E10 shown on the pump with unleaded. That is because it is 10% Ethanol, made from, you guessed it, corn, from, you guessed it, 1st class arable farmland. Both in the UK and abroad. Actually using up more energy than it provides. Talk about green washing.
That is the real problem not solar part covering a field on generally lower value farmland, that by the way is often still grazed by sheep ie food.
Which homes do they mean?? Wales produces 5 x more power than it uses, so these homes must surely be elsewhere??
I thought solar farms were not supposed to be put on good agricultural land, we can’t eat solar panels, there are plenty of brown field sites that could be used