Friday, March 21, 2025

News: Plans for more Rotherham solar farms

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At the same time as plans are being developed for a huge solar farm across many greenbelt sites in Rotherham, a number of smaller proposals are progressing too.

Rothbiz reported last year on Whitestone Solar Farm, which if constructed, would generate up to 750MW of energy, enough to power up to 250,000 homes. It would be the largest solar farm in Yorkshire and one of the largest in the UK.

Consultation documents from solar developer Green Nation show that vast areas of agricultural land in Rotherham and Doncaster, some safeguarded for the now-cancelled HS2 route, could make up the solar farm. Sites in the Rother Valley constituency include fields near to Bramley and Wickersley, near Ulley, Aston and Brampton, out towards North and South Anston, and close to Kiveton Park, Harthill and Woodall.

Due to its size, Whitestone will be classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and would not be determined by Rotherham Council.

In recent months early stage proposals have been published for solar farms that would be determined by Rotherham Council.

Thurcroft Interchange Energy Park is being put forward by Exagen Group and involves a 49.9MW solar farm with a co-located 50MW battery energy storage system (BESS) and substation on farmland between Wickersley and Morthen. The yearly output of the solar generation is predicted to equate to the electricity use of approximately 20,370 average UK homes per year.

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The project is in early stages of public consultation and proponents say that it "will be sensitively designed within the land available, with input from local residents, planning experts and all relevant consultees."

Documents add: "The proposed Thurcroft Interchange Energy Park Project is made up of three adjacent parcels of land, with the majority of infrastructure to be installed in the south-eastern block adjacent to the M1 and M18. The proposed site will be effectively screened from the settlements of Wickersley, Whiston, and Thurcroft through enhancement to existing vegetation and the implementation of supplementary hedgerow and tree planting."

Across the borough, another solar develpoer, ILOS, is putting together plans for a 25 MVA solar farm west of Firsby Lane between Hooton Roberts and Conisbrough which comprises 21 hectares of greenbelt land.

Providing enough green energy for over 10,000 households, cultation documents explain: "The site will remain in agricultural use for the 30-40 year tenure of the lease and be crafted to rest the land from intensive farming, attracting considerable additional wildlife. No concrete is used in the module framework and the incumbent electricity provider, Northern PowerGrid, will manage the grid connection point."

Initial consultation for Whitestone has closed. Community drop in sessions are being held next week regarding Thurcroft Interchange Energy Park and consultation for Firsby Lane will close on March 27.

Exagen website
ILOS Energy website

Images: Exagen Group

25 comments:

Anonymous,  March 21, 2025 at 11:08 AM  

Solar panels are a waste of space. Their only use is charging batteries. They don’t work at night nor when it’s cloudy. They cannot provide ‘peakload’ on demand power.

Anonymous,  March 21, 2025 at 6:09 PM  

There's a hell of a lot of greenbelt, and farm land, in the Cotswolds that could be put to use!

Anonymous,  March 22, 2025 at 6:03 AM  

What have the Cotswolds got to do with it?

Anonymous,  March 22, 2025 at 12:25 PM  

I think the poster means it’s ok to ruin greenbelt in the North but they wouldn’t accept it in wealthy areas like the Cotswolds.

Anonymous,  March 22, 2025 at 2:58 PM  

They've not been able to stop that clown Clarkson from turning farmland into a circus.

Jez March 22, 2025 at 3:04 PM  

Then I think the poster is mistaken. There are numerous solar farms in the Cotswolds and many of them have been opposed by the local farming communities. Just for starters, check out developments in Willersey Village, Cirencester, Cheltenham, Malmesbury...

Anonymous,  March 23, 2025 at 12:10 AM  

There’s Jez -he just can’t help sticking his oar in!

Anonymous,  March 23, 2025 at 1:42 PM  

I suppose he's as much right to post as you.

Anonymous,  March 23, 2025 at 3:50 PM  

Says anonymous Jez

Anonymous,  March 23, 2025 at 5:14 PM  

You seek him here
You seek him there
...

Jez March 23, 2025 at 9:34 PM  

Obsession is not an admirable quality Camilla.

Anonymous,  March 24, 2025 at 12:25 AM  

I wish Anonymous would stop posting anonymously. We all know its Jez.

Anonymous,  March 24, 2025 at 12:37 AM  

There's a Jez who posts on Millersmad forum. Wouldn't be surprised if it's the same person.

CPB,  March 24, 2025 at 8:43 AM  

No, you're not!

Anonymous,  March 24, 2025 at 8:46 AM  

No there isn't

Anonymous,  March 24, 2025 at 9:01 AM  

To get back to the issue under discussion, I believe that wind and solar farms are essential to diversify our power base. So bring it on.

Anonymous,  March 24, 2025 at 10:27 AM  

I’m Jez and so is my wife..

Anonymous,  March 24, 2025 at 11:43 AM  

If solar is so essential make every house and warehouse indeed every building have it installed preferably when they're built,then no reason to have solar farms ruining the landscape.In Germany most buildings have solar panels,hence not as much need for farms,then again Britain is such a huge country with vast open spaces,the waste of land for solar and wind is no problem!

Anonymous,  March 24, 2025 at 1:24 PM  

No, your wife wishes you were Jez.

Anonymous,  March 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM  

You must come from Mexbrough

Anonymous,  March 24, 2025 at 3:20 PM  

Camilla please stop posting derogatory comments.

Anonymous,  March 24, 2025 at 7:04 PM  

Camilla? Never trusted him

Anonymous,  March 25, 2025 at 10:41 AM  

We are not all like that in Mexbrough. My parents are very well behaved and civilised. As are my other sisters.

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