Renewable energy park gets the go-ahead

A proposed renewable energy park in East Yorkshire with the potential to generate power for thousands of homes has been given the green light.Three Oaks Renewable Energy Park Ltd, supported by planning consultancy Engena, submitted a full planning application to East Riding of Yorkshire Council in 2022 for development on farmland to the north of the village of Haisthorpe.The development is set to comprise ground mounted solar panels and ancillary infrastructure, including inverters, transformers, grid connection cabling, a substation cabinet and a temporary construction compound.In addition, a battery energy storage system (BESS) would be installed near the point of connection.The solar farm would occupy a maximum area of about 163 acres and have an installed capacity of up to 39MW.It has been estimated that the capacity would be sufficient to offset the equivalent annual energy needs of about 8,620 average East Riding of Yorkshire homes.The BESS would be rated at up to 78MWh and would therefore be capable of providing a 39MW output over a two-hour period.The facility would operate for a period of 40 years, after which the solar farm and BESS would be decommissioned.The council has now approved the application, subject to conditions, under delegated powers.Three Oaks Renewable Energy Park Ltd is a project company owned by Ridge Clean Energy Ltd, which has developed, constructed and operated clean energy projects in the UK since 2003.