The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan will help to insulate the UK from volatile international gas prices, and further boost the UK’s growing ability to attract significant investment into new energy infrastructure, growing the country’s economy and boosting jobs.
The One Earth Solar Farm project is led by Solar Energy UK members PS Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.
The decision to approve the project follows the Government’s approval of the 320-megawatt Peartree Solar Farm north of Hull and the 150 MW Dean Moor Solar Farm in Cumbria last week. Taken together, the three projects will power the equivalent of 330,000 homes.
So far, the largest project to have received planning consent is Springwell Solar Farm in Lincolnshire, which will have a capacity of 800 MW. Four even larger projects have been submitted for approval.
“Solar power at scale means cheap, clean, homegrown power, insulated from the global instability that has caused energy prices to rocket” said Solar Energy UK Chief Executive Chris Hewett. “Solar farms offer the cheapest power available – and the larger they are, the bigger the economies of scale. Every panel, whether on the ground or on rooftops, is a step towards to a better Britain, with an economy safeguarded from the whims of geopolitics.”
The solar industry estimates that around 26 gigawatts of solar generation capacity is currently in place across the UK, with multiple gigawatts being installed every year.
More than 1.7 million UK homes already have solar panels fitted, part of over 2 million smaller-scale installations.
Currently, solar and battery storage support around 20,000 UK jobs.
The sector contributes almost £1.9 billion to the economy annually (measured as gross value added). By 2035, the sector could support around 43,000 jobs and contribute over £5 billion GVA.
Utility-scale solar provided around £61 million of additional farm income in 2024.
84 percent of the public support solar energy according to Government polling, while 77 percent of the public support local solar farm development (SEUK polling).
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