THE Island’s first ground-based solar farm will be built in St Clement, after an application was narrowly approved by the Planning Committee.
The infrastructure – to be installed in fields off Rue du Moulin à Vent – will include 7,500 solar panels and generate 4MW of power, which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of 634 average Jersey houses, or 14% of the homes in the parish.
While the fields were traditionally used for growing potatoes, they will now also be used for grazing sheep.
It is the first of a number of solar sites being brought forward by Jersey Electricity, which aims to deliver 25MW of renewable energy, equivalent to approximately 5% of the local annual demand. Approximately 30 hectares of land would be required to meet this ambition. The application site is 4.9 hectares.
JE has also said that it wants to build a solar farm at Sorel.
The plans were recommended for approval by the Planning Department, which recommended a number of conditions – including ceasing operations after 40 years and ensuring the plant operates below five decibels. The application was considered by the Planning Committee yesterday and approved by three votes to two.
