Plans revealed to install 92,000 solar panels in Yorkshire countryside

Anesco Ltd wants to install 92,000 solar panels close to the village of Wawne and the Kingswood and Bransholme estates.

The 64 hectare site will have the potential to generate 49.99MW at peak production of electricity, which will be exported to the National Grid.

There have been numerous applications for new solar farms in recent months, including one of the largest in the country, covering 757 hectares (1,870 acres) of farmland near the villages of Camblesforth and Hirst Courtney in North Yorkshire.

It comes as analysis by the in-house Solar Media Market Research team shows that almost 4GW of new solar farm capacity has been approved in the UK in the first eight months of 2022, up from 3.1GW that was approved during 2021.

A leaflet and feedback form was sent to 400 residents and local businesses, but only garnered six responses, according to the developers.

The developers say one of the main reasons that this site has been chosen is the level of screening that is already in place and its proximity to sufficient grid connection capacity. The plans add: "The panels will be of a high standard and will be covered with non-reflective material to allow as much light as possible through to the PV cells and minimise glare."

According to 2020 figures, just under 500 solar farms are now in operation in the UK.