Rent per acre for ground solar?

[MrNoo]

52mw is an unusual size? Have they stated what acreage they need for that?

That was the offer, they're wanting 50Mw for 200ac

 

[lloyd]

Isn't that a big site to get planning on ?
Just going on a couple in Worc and Glos that didn't make it
past that stage.
Probably depends on objections and local council .

 

[MrNoo]

Yes, t'is big but as said, early days yet.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Isn't that a big site to get planning on ?
Just going on a couple in Worc and Glos that didn't make it
past that stage.
Probably depends on objections and local council .

The emergency climate announcement will make things much easier now...

 

[peterfarmer!]

where do I start to see if we have a suitable site i don't want to get in with the wrong people,the CLA are offering a member offer with roadnighttaylor does anyone have an experience with this company

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Have you power lines near by? Any other PV sites near by?

TBH if you haven’t been approached it’s unlikely that you have little potential by now.

Try the company you mentioned, they can probably tell with 5 minutes on google earth

 

[peterfarmer!]

Have you power lines near by? Any other PV sites near by?

TBH if you haven’t been approached it’s unlikely that you have little potential by now.

Try the company you mentioned, they can probably tell with 5 minutes on google earth

Had a letter about 12 months ago but didn’t take any notice,there is a 33000 High voltage cable that has just been laid 2 meters from our boundary so has made me think about it,we have approximately 80 acres at this location

 

[Bury the Trash]

Had a letter about 12 months ago but didn’t take any notice,there is a 33000 High voltage cable that has just been laid 2 meters from our boundary so has made me think about it,we have approximately 80 acres at this location

Yeah all you need is a big pair of crocodile clips...

 

[HarryB97]

Had a letter about 12 months ago but didn’t take any notice,there is a 33000 High voltage cable that has just been laid 2 meters from our boundary so has made me think about it,we have approximately 80 acres at this location

We wrote to the top 20 solar firms in the UK about a year ago and about 6 replied and came for a site visit etc, without grid capacity it is a non starter luckily the firm we have gone with have it and planning is currently in for 140 acres of panels. A neighbour put in a field of panels around 7/8 years ago a few miles from us but never thought twice about it at the time. From memory the cost to join a 33000 high voltage is in the millions compared to a sub station or lower voltage line which is only in the hundreds of thousands. Yes the subs are gone on it now and the land is out of production but it's passive income that requires no input from us, we get new tracks, hedges, hopefully a good reduction in blackgrass and most importantly I can run my ewes under them if I couldn't we would of never of considered it. Just waiting for the planning verdict now but hopefully with everything in the media about the environment etc and very few objections it'll happen, just a waiting game now!

 

[steveR]

We wrote to the top 20 solar firms in the UK about a year ago and about 6 replied and came for a site visit etc, without grid capacity it is a non starter luckily the firm we have gone with have it and planning is currently in for 140 acres of panels. A neighbour put in a field of panels around 7/8 years ago a few miles from us but never thought twice about it at the time. From memory the cost to join a 33000 high voltage is in the millions compared to a sub station or lower voltage line which is only in the hundreds of thousands. Yes the subs are gone on it now and the land is out of production but it's passive income that requires no input from us, we get new tracks, hedges, hopefully a good reduction in blackgrass and most importantly I can run my ewes under them if I couldn't we would of never of considered it. Just waiting for the planning verdict now but hopefully with everything in the media about the environment etc and very few objections it'll happen, just a waiting game now!

Best of luck with the project...

Deffo no blackgrass prpblems after you go for PV!! If you have any input on the design probcess and you are keen to share the panels with sheep, look at several builds of solar farm, as some have a much wider gap between PV arrays than others...

Consider your access with an Orchard or Vineyard tractor, and you can farm under them! Too narrow, and a quad bike is about all you can get! I have heard of one SW build where the farmer can even harvest grass, presumably using alpine style narrow kit, but it can be down!

I am sure you will have had good advice on the succession effect of a solar farm etc.... but check. I went for a separate Ltd Company on advice

 

[Doing it for the kids]

We wrote to the top 20 solar firms in the UK about a year ago and about 6 replied and came for a site visit etc, without grid capacity it is a non starter luckily the firm we have gone with have it and planning is currently in for 140 acres of panels. A neighbour put in a field of panels around 7/8 years ago a few miles from us but never thought twice about it at the time. From memory the cost to join a 33000 high voltage is in the millions compared to a sub station or lower voltage line which is only in the hundreds of thousands. Yes the subs are gone on it now and the land is out of production but it's passive income that requires no input from us, we get new tracks, hedges, hopefully a good reduction in blackgrass and most importantly I can run my ewes under them if I couldn't we would of never of considered it. Just waiting for the planning verdict now but hopefully with everything in the media about the environment etc and very few objections it'll happen, just a waiting game now!

Good luck! You should walk it unless exceptional circumstances. Where are you based?

Try and get them to use one foot arrays rather than two as the no mans land between is harder to deal with. Grazin works. It you have to keep on top of woody plants.

If you get planning drill the lot with grass first, it will get a bit trashed but worth it for the under pannels. Make sure they sheep protect all cables as wolves like chewing cables!

What’s 140 acres equate to? About 30-35 MW? How long a lease are they asking for?

 

[HarryB97]

Good luck! You should walk it unless exceptional circumstances. Where are you based?

Try and get them to use one foot arrays rather than two as the no mans land between is harder to deal with. Grazin works. It you have to keep on top of woody plants.

If you get planning drill the lot with grass first, it will get a bit trashed but worth it for the under pannels. Make sure they sheep protect all cables as wolves like chewing cables!

What’s 140 acres equate to? About 30-35 MW? How long a lease are they asking for?

We are based in Oxfordshire. Have to see if it gets planning first and then what the people that are building it are planning but the arrays is a good point. Don't plan on going for the maintenance contract etc but will wait and see. Luckily half of it has been grass for three years to get on top of black grass and the rest of it we drilled with grass this autumn to get on top of black grass and just in case it happens! roughly 30-35 as some of the fields are hilly and battery storage etc taking up room. Minimum of 20 years with the option of 40

 

[HarryB97]

Best of luck with the project...

Deffo no blackgrass prpblems after you go for PV!! If you have any input on the design probcess and you are keen to share the panels with sheep, look at several builds of solar farm, as some have a much wider gap between PV arrays than others...

Consider your access with an Orchard or Vineyard tractor, and you can farm under them! Too narrow, and a quad bike is about all you can get! I have heard of one SW build where the farmer can even harvest grass, presumably using alpine style narrow kit, but it can be down!

I am sure you will have had good advice on the succession effect of a solar farm etc.... but check. I went for a separate Ltd Company on advice

If it doens't cure the black grass then i'm out of ideas! The sheep have been a focus from the start and we have had one firm who may build it come and look just waiting on two more. Probably wont get into the technicals till we no about planning etc. I imagine the access will be good for the mowing and some of the fields are on slopes so there needs to be a good gap due to shading, apparently slopes are the best though for panels despite there being less of them. We have looked thoroughly into it but don't think we will go down the Ltd company route but will revisit it if we get planning.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

We are based at Oxford. Have to see if it gets planning first and then what the people that are building it are planning but the arrays is a good point. Don't plan on going for the maintenance contract etc but will wait and see. Luckily half of it has been grass for three years to get on top of black grass and the rest of it we drilled with grass this autumn to get on top of black grass and just in case it happens! roughly 30-35 as some of the fields are hilly and battery storage etc taking up room. Minimum of 20 years with the option of 40

Which council on Ox? Some are better than others! Good idea on the batteries too, even if they don’t get built yet it’s good to have it in the bag!

 

[Iain W]

Thank you all who have responded to my previous thread. We have been overwhelmed by the interest and will get back to you all in due course. We are also looking for potential wind farm sites and again this would be using the same easy process of sending over a land boundary map to check out potential constraints. Please Private message if you have any queries.

 

[Jack Kirby]

Very interesting to read farmers perspective on these projects over such a long period of time! I work for an independent renewable energy company and are always looking for viable solar farms across the UK. If you have been approached and want to double check if you can get a higher rent elsewhere or want some free advice, feel free to email me on on [email protected]

 

[MrNoo]

Very interesting to read farmers perspective on these projects over such a long period of time! I work for an independent renewable energy company and are always looking for viable solar farms across the UK. If you have been approached and want to double check if you can get a higher rent elsewhere or want some free advice, feel free to email me on on [email protected]

Rent is the least of the worry, connection is king, without it you're stuffed. Capacity is just getting so limited in areas now and I cant see Elec companies updating their system anytime soon, unless solar Co's pay for it.
The only way it will change if there becomes hubs and stubs instead of one giant network but again requires vast investment which has been spanked on shareholders and pensions.

 

[Jack Kirby]

That's a fair comment! You might be surprised how many solar projects are still in the works with more and more further up North however like you say the capacity is getting limited. The sheer cost of reinforcing the existing infrastructure is often where projects fall down as it makes projects unviable when the solar companies have to carry this cost.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Grid and planning.

ive heard of sites that have to complete full archeological dig before submitting a planning ap - ouchy!

 

[steveR]

That's a fair comment! You might be surprised how many solar projects are still in the works with more and more further up North however like you say the capacity is getting limited. The sheer cost of reinforcing the existing infrastructure is often where projects fall down as it makes projects unviable when the solar companies have to carry this cost.

Which is crazy, because as we all know, the Grid at large, will really struggle in many areas, as EV's increase, and multitudes of ASHP are installed. How long before we start to see brownouts....?