Janine
Plans to develop a £50m solar farm in Leeds have been approved by Leeds City Council.
The project will feature a mix of new solar farms, and rooftop solar with battery storage. The battery storage means that any additional power generated in daylight can be stored and delivered as needed.
More than 12,000 homes are set to benefit from the clean, renewable energy generated by the farms.
It is hoped that the solar farm will help the council reduce energy usage from less sustainable sources, while also protecting it from volatile energy prices in the future.
Councillor Helen Hayden said that the plans will help the council to meet its net carbon targets. Speaking at a Leeds City Council executive board meeting, she added: “Our commitment to clean energy has been going on for some time. We want to do as much as we can to make sure our energy comes from clean renewable sources.
“Energy security is precarious at this time both nationally and internationally – I am proud we are doing everything we can.”
She added that this would help the council to get 30 percent of its energy from renewables.
Leeds Liberal Democrats leader Councillor Stewart Golton said he supported the plans, adding: “I know some politicians get jittery around the delivery of renewable energy and land usage, but a lot of people would welcome this kind of investment in their neighbourhoods.
“Leeds has more sunshine hours than Paris – so I think that is something we should take into consideration.”
This new solar farm comes almost a year after councillors approved plans put forward by Banks Renewables for a 40-megawatt capacity photovoltaic park, on a site off Barnsdale Road in Allerton Bywater. The development covered over 87.7 hectares – or 216 acres – and was capable of producing more renewable energy than the renewable initiatives that were previously installed.
Both developments are part of Leeds City Council’s ongoing commitment to tackle climate change and make Leeds carbon neutral by 2030, which includes plans to eventually purchase all of the city’s electricity from renewable sources.
