Isra-Mart srl:Giant Lanhydrock Cornish solar farm gets go ahead

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Isra-Mart srl news:

Plans to build a 5MW solar farm in Cornwall have been given the go-ahead just weeks after the government launched a consultation which could prevent larger solar projects benefiting from its feed-in tariff incentive scheme.

Renewable energy developer Cornwall Power yesterday confirmed it has gained planning permission from Cornwall Council for the 5MW Lanhydrock solar farm, which is expected to be producing electricity for the neighbouring water treatment works by autumn this year.

Speaking to BusinessGreen, Cornwall Power chairman David Fyffe said the company was planning to use monocrystalline photovoltaic (PV) solar panels at the site and was aiming to select a supplier from a shortlist of three companies by the end of this month.

The £10m to £12m project is backed by The Foresight Group, and will receive the lowest feed-in-tarriff rate of 29.3 pence per kilowatt hour when it starts generating power. All the electricity from Lanhydrock will feed into the neighbouring water treatment works, a feature that was crucial to securing planning permission.

Local councillor Julian German, portfolio holder for environment, climate change and waste management said: "The close proximity of the Restormel Water Treatment Works offers planners and the landowner an overwhelming carbon-reduction opportunity, which could enable South West Water to reduce its carbon footprint and enhance its energy security by consuming the total power output of the solar farm."

Cornwall Council said last year that it was keen to deliver a solar gold rush in the region, revealing that it expects to receive up to 100 planning applications from developers to build solar farms, each with a potential £10m investment.

However, that goldrush may fail to materialise as a result of plans currently being considered by the government to limit the number of solar farms eligible for feed-in tariff incentives.

Climate change minister Greg Barker last month met with representatives from the microgeneration industry seeking advice on how the government should trigger future reviews of the level of support available through the feed-in tariff scheme.

The minister has expressed concerns that a small number of large solar PV projects could secure the bulk of the available feed-in tariff funding, leaving less money available for rooftop solar PV installations and other on-site renewable projects.

However, Barker promised the government will not act retrospectively to withdraw the feed-in tariff for planned solar farms.

Fyffe said he was confident Lanhydrock will receive FiTs, however he admitted that the company is planning future projects which could struggle to gain approval for the incentive.

"We have to work with the policy that the government sets but we will be keeping a close eye on it," he said.