Solar power generation equipment project approval

Which solar projects have been granted DCOs?

The projects granted DCOs include Mallard Pass, Sunnica and Gate Burton. Image: NextEnergy Capital. Ed Miliband, the secretary of state for Energy Security and Net Zero, granted development consent orders (DCOs) to three solar-based nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs), totalling over 1.3GW of renewable energy generation capacity.

Are more solar 'nationally significant infrastructure projects' going to be approved?

To meet those targets, more solar ‘nationally significant infrastructure projects’ (NSIPs) will need to be approved over the next decade and beyond – only two projects, the Little Crow Solar Park project and the Cleve Hill Solar Park project, have received development consent to date.

How many solar farms has the new Secretary of state approved?

“Solar Energy UK is delighted that the new Secretary of State has approved three nationally significant solar farms in his first week in office.

Can solar projects be promoted under the NPS?

This has meant that, while utility scale solar projects have been able to be promoted under the NPS for energy infrastructure, developers have had to follow a more protracted route to gaining planning permission: developers have had to rely on the general policy support within EN-1 for their solar projects.

What is the Mallard Pass solar project?

The Mallard Pass Solar Project application has been granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The project proposes a Solar photovoltaic array and electrical storage and connection infrastructure, with a generation capacity of greater than 50 MW.

Should solar farms be considered temporary?

The draft revised EN-3 retains the helpful steer given in the initial 2021 proposed reforms that impacts from solar farms should be considered as temporary, though it does recognise that project developers will take different approaches to determining how the project lifetime should be considered in the consenting process.