A new renewable energy park, which could provide power to more than 190,000 homes is being planned for North Kesteven.
The proposed Beacon Fen Energy Park will be made up of solar and energy storage and is proposed for land east of Sleaford, between the villages of Heckington and Helpringham.
Renewable Energy Company Low Carbon said, if given permission, Beacon Fen Energy Park would generate an estimated 600MW of electricity a year while also avoiding 120,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions annually.
James Hartley-Bond, director at Low Carbon, said: “We are looking forward to speaking directly with local communities about our plans to hear their views first-hand.
“We are currently planning an early engagement consultation so we can ensure residents’ feedback links into the proposals, before holding a statutory consultation which is planned for later this year.
“The UK Government has made clear its plans for the country to reach Net Zero by 2050. Its aim is to increase the nation’s solar capacity fivefold by 2035. If given permission, Beacon Fen Energy Park will be a significant step forward towards reaching this vital goal and securing sustainable energy for the country.”
The project includes building the infrastructure needed to export the electricity the energy park would generate onto the national grid. It is planned this would be via an existing connection point at nearby Bicker Fen.
Mr Hartley-Bond said: “For more than a decade, Low Carbon has been at the centre of the UK’s journey to Net Zero. Through working with local communities, we deliver renewables projects which bring about real change to ensure a cleaner and greener energy industry for all.
“The amount of electricity Beacon Fen Energy Park could generate exceeds 50MW and is therefore classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). This requires us to submit an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to the Planning Inspectorate.
“We anticipate the development process for the project through to DCO submission and then examination will take between two and three years. Subject to achieving consent, construction would start no earlier than 2026.”
He added: “We look forward to speaking to residents within the coming weeks and introducing them to our proposals.”
