ST Mary residents are protesting against Jersey Electricity’s plans to install a large solar array in the parish.
Over a dozen Islanders who live in the area surrounding Rue de La Hougue Mauger are “strongly objecting” to proposals to turn eight “good potato fields” into a solar farm.
Jersey Electricity have said the facility could generate power for almost 1,200 homes.
If given the green light, the project – which would house 10,000 ground-mounted photovoltaic panels – would be the third and largest green energy site operated by the utility company. A similar project has been completed at a smaller site in St Clement, while another is currently under construction at Sorel.
In a statement sent to the JEP, the group of residents said that the site chosen by the utility company was “simply too big and too intrusive in the countryside”.
They claim that plans – which were submitted in August – do not meet “tests” when measured against “numerous” policies of the Bridging Island Plan.
JE previously focused on roof-based solar energy panels; however, larger sites have been earmarked as the Island aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and improve supply chain resilience in the energy sector.
The St Mary residents’ objection statement argues that the eight fields, which cover 22 acres, had been rated as being in the top 50% of “prime agricultural land” by the Jersey Farmers Union.
They said they appreciated the need for Jersey to invest in renewable energy but claimed the balance between “beauty of the land” in the parish and the need to create a solar farm has not been “struck correctly”.
They added that Jersey Electricity had identified 50 neighbours to the site who may experience glare from the panels for up to six months of the year.
Four other solar arrays were installed in the parish earlier this year at La Mare Wine Estate, providing 2,550 kWh a year of green energy.
A public consultation was held last year by Jersey Electricity to gather residents’ views on installing solar arrays in the area.
The owners of the land on Rue de La Hougue Mauger have worked with the utility company to design the site plans.
Jersey Electricity – who did not respond to requests from this newspaper to comment on the objections by the time the JEP went to print – said in the original plans that the site was “well suited” and the land in and around the arrays would operate in dual agricultural use, with the potential of supporting “innovative” farming practices.
