Location
The solar farm would be located on the county boundary between North Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire, to the east and south east of Thorne, west and south west of Crowle and to the north east of Doncaster.
This location is in close proximity to RWE’s existing Tween Bridge Wind Farm, which already meets the annual electricity needs of over 30,000 households and has contributed over £1.3 million to projects and initiatives locally.
Tween Bridge Solar Farm can connect into an existing National Grid powerline, meaning that no additional overhead power lines or other grid connection infrastructure would need to be built.
Capacity
As the project will have an installed capacity exceeding 50MW, it is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). As a result, we are required to submit a Development Consent Order (DCO) application to the Planning Inspectorate, in order to seek planning permission.
We are also planning to install batteries to store electricity which can be fed back into the local energy network to help balance the grid at times of high demand.
Decision making
Developers of all NSIPs are required to submit a Development Consent Order (DCO) application to the Planning Inspectorate, instead of applying to the Local Authority for planning permission.
Local authorities are still important planning bodies who must be consulted as part of the DCO process, including at the eventual public examination of the proposals. They will also become responsible and will have powers to enforce conditions we are required to meet as part of the DCO planning permission, if approved.
The final decision on the DCO application will be made by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
More information on the DCO process can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
