The second public consultation on a new solar farm planned for Fenwick, Doncaster, and developed by Boom Power will end on 31 May. The consultation has provided an opportunity for local residents and other stakeholders to learn more about the 237.5MW co-located solar-plus-storage project, which qualifies as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP).
Because of its status as an NSIP, plans for the Fenwick Solar Farm will have to be approved by the Planning Inspectorate, as well as the secretary of state for climate change and net zero. Construction of the site, which is expected to cover approximately 325 hectares, cannot begin without that approval.
The company has already secured an import and export grid connection at Thorpe Marsh Power Station, a former coal-fired power station set to be transformed into a green energy hub. Once complete, it will be capable of storing up to 2.8GWh of energy using a battery energy storage system (BESS).
Boom Power anticipates that it will submit a Development Consent Order (DCO) later this year; when the project was initially announced, this was expected to happen in spring 2024. It already has an extensive pipeline of projects across the UK, including at Cleve Hill in Kent and recently consented Kenley Solar Farm in Hull.
Boom’s portfolio also already includes one NSIP project: the East Yorkshire Solar Farm, which has a capacity of 400MW.
Local support for solar NSIPs
Consultation for another NSIP, EDF Renewables UK’s 800MW Springwell Solar Farm, came to a close in February. EDF Renewables UK disclosed that 77% of people, who responded to a survey by Survation conducted on behalf of the organisation, noted climate change was affecting their communities. 82% of people also said they support the development of solar farms.
Like the Fenwick project, Springwell Solar Farm will need the secretary of state’s approval.
UK secretary of state for energy security and net zero Clare Coutinho moved the deadline for her decision on another NSIP, Mallard Pass Solar Farm, on 20 May. The decision deadline for this project, originally 16 May 2024, has now been set as 13 June 2024 by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
Coutinho had to make a statement to parliament to announce the delay, in which she said the new deadline is “to ensure there is sufficient time for the department to consider the application”.
