Statkraft announces two new solar energy farms in Cornwall

• Statkraft, Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy, is today (22nd March 2021) announcing plans for two new solar energy farms in Cornwall.
• White Cross solar energy farm and Treviscoe solar energy farm are located either side of the A30, outside Indian Queens. Statkraft are planning to utilise the grid connection at Indian Queens sub-station to provide renewable energy to the grid.
• The sites are approximately 3km apart; they sit separately within their own distinct landscapes and communities. Residents and community representatives living near to both sites will be consulted.
• Combined, the solar energy farms could provide 84MWp of solar capacity, generate nearly 85 gigawatt hours of electricity per year and power nearly 24,000 homes – a significant contribution to regional and national renewable energy targets.
• Alongside the solar panels will be an 18MW battery per solar farm, which will work with the solar panels to provide a more flexible and functional renewable energy facility.
• The solar energy farms have the potential to create local jobs and supply contracts, make significant contributions to local business rates, improve ecology and biodiversity at site and support local projects and causes through their associated community benefit funds.
• Importantly each site will have its own community consultation process and separate planning application.

Statkraft, Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy, is evaluating land near to White Cross and Treviscoe in Cornwall for the development of two new solar energy farms – White Cross solar energy farm and Treviscoe solar energy farm.

The land identified for White Cross is between White Cross and St Columb Road south of the A392. The land identified for Treviscoe is west of St Dennis and north of Central Treviscoe on fields between Treviscoe and the B3279. Both have been carefully chosen for their potential to deliver high levels of solar-powered electricity to the grid.

With a project of up to 49.9MWp proposed, the 75 hectare site at White Cross solar energy farm could generate over 51 gigawatt hours of electricity per year, enough to power over 14,000 homes.

Treviscoe solar energy farm is a 34.1MWp proposal on a 52 hectare site, and could generate enough electricity to power over 9,000 homes.

Statkraft also propose to install an 18MW battery for each solar project. This will be located at a separate site opposite the Indian Queens substation, where both projects will be connecting into the local grid. The batteries can store the electricity from the solar panels as well as be used to provide support services to the National Grid.

Subject to planning approval, both solar energy farms have the potential to create local jobs and supply contracts during the construction, operation and maintenance phase of the build, and make a significant contribution to local business rates. In addition, Statkraft solar farms include many features to enhance local plant, animal and insect populations, including new or restored hedgerows, wildflower planting, bird and bat boxes and habitat for bumblebees; making this a great opportunity for local wildlife.

Chris Banks, UK Business Development Manager says: “We are excited about the economic and environmental benefits that White Cross and Treviscoe solar energy farms could bring to the local community, while supporting Cornwall’s carbon reduction targets as well as the national effort to tackle climate change”.

He adds, “We want the local community to be involved in the process leading up to any planning application being submitted and will be asking for their feedback and views. We will be sharing our plans with the community via our project websites and online exhibition halls, providing a variety of ways for people to contact us, should they wish to so do”.

Under normal circumstances Statkraft would host a resident information day about the project in each local community. Because of COVID 19 restrictions we can’t do this face to face at the moment. The information is instead being provided online so that people can read and download it at home. The outline proposal is available now at the project websites – the online exhibitions will be open at the end of March.

Anyone wishing to provide feedback on the proposal can do so in the following ways:

Via the project websites and online surveys:
www.statkraft.co.uk/whitecrosssolar and www.statkraft.co.uk/treviscoesolar
Email: whitecrosssolar@solarcentury.com or treviscoesolar@solarcentury.com
Call: 0207 549 1299
Write to: White Cross Solar, or Treviscoe Solar, c/o Solarcentury, 90 Union Street, London SE1 0NW

If you are a local supplier or contractor who would like to register their interest in supporting the projects longer term, you can leave your contact details at the online surveys on both websites.

Any feedback should be submitted to Statkraft during March and April 2021, so that it can be included in the pre-application analysis and help inform the final plans.