A new solar farm is planned for land around Cowbridge but its location is a mystery – other than it will be in the River Thaw area.
Lightsource bp, a leading solar and storage developer in the UK, has submitted an environmental scoping report to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) for a new renewable energy project in the Vale, called the Afon Ddaw solar and energy storage project.
The proposed project is comprised of 249MWac solar PV generating capacity and a 249MW battery energy storage system (BESS).
Afon Ddaw is Welsh for River Thaw and a company spokeswoman told the Glamorgan Star that the company was only, at this stage, conducting an environmental impact assessment.
She said: “At this stage, we’re currently in the scoping phase so we don’t yet have a finalised boundary for the project, which we have named Afon Ddaw after one of the distinctive landscape features in the area, rather than due to proximity to the river.
“We’ve identified a number of parcels of land laid out in the scoping report submitted to PEDW, and over the coming months, we’ll be refining the area of the Afon Ddaw project based on the results of our discussions with PEDW and other stakeholders, including the local community, and on the results of environmental assessments and surveys. As such we don’t have a finalised location to share with the general public at this time.”
Lightsource bp said: “The Afon Ddaw plans are in keeping with the national drive from the Welsh Government to provide all of Wales’ electricity from renewable sources by 2035.
“Once the plans for Afon Ddaw have been developed in more detail, Lightsource bp will begin a detailed engagement and consultation programme with local communities closest to the project, to ensure that local knowledge and insight is gathered and fully understood.
“Once the proposals are finalised, a Development of National Significance (DNS) application will be submitted to the Welsh Ministers to seek planning consent.”
The DNS application will mean that it will by-pass the Vale council, planning committee. The company has released an image of one of its solar farms, showing plenty of green field with livestock grazing in and around the solar panel array.
By Philip Irwin – Senior Reporter
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