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Isle of Wight’s largest solar farm, the Sunny Oaks Renewable Energy Park, has received a recommendation for approval, as the BBC reports. The farm will produce enough electricity to supply more than 5,000 homes.
According to campaigners, the 27-hectare facility will industrialize the countryside and take six months to build. Approval could be granted as soon as tomorrow, Tuesday.
The farm will produce about 20 MWh of electricity annually and be operational for 40 years. It will connect to the Wootton Common substation.
The facility will have a battery energy storage system across the road.
Opposing residents, however, argue that the project by Ridge Clean Energy will create a visual impact, generate noise, worsen flood risk, result in biodiversity loss, and project glint and glare into surrounding homes. However, planning officers praise its economic, social, and environmental benefits.
Renewable Brief 