County shines as solar site (From Western Telegraph)

County shines as solar site

6:30pm Saturday 22nd September 2012 in News

Pembrokeshire continues to shine as one of the top solar farm locations in the UK.

Two major solar farm developments were approved last week while plans for another near Milford Haven were unveiled.

Planning committee members unanimously approved a 35,000-solar panel development (with panels measuring more than two metres high) at Clawddcam, Mathry.

The 17-hectare development, on what is currently agricultural grazing land, will produce up to 7.5 megawatts of energy at peak capacity.

The application also included permission to build transformation enclosures for relaying power to the electricity distribution network, a convertor cabin, fencing, trenching, ducting and cable laying.

Although the application was approved, further information wil be obtained about the possible site of a Neolithical cursus – a rare prehistoric monument – just to the north east of the proposed construction site.

The second application related to 20,680 solar panels on 10.7 hectares of land, south west of Jordanston Farm, St Florence.

The development will have the capacity to produce 4.96 megawatts from panels raised no more than 2.8 metres above the ground.

Councillor Anthony Wilcox raised concerns about glare from the panels interfering with planes in the low-fly zone around Manorbier Air Defence Range but was assured solar panels were designed to collect light, not reflect it.

Both applications were given a 25-year time limit.