St Peter residents are being invited by Jersey Electricity to a community consultation to discuss proposed plans for a solar farm in the parish.
Jersey Electricity’s “solar team” will be at St Peter’s Parish Hall tomorrow from 10am to 7pm to answer questions and explain plans for the Mont Fondon site.
The installation, which will be set out over 2.7 hectares of what the utility company says is “low-grade land”, would generate enough electricity to power around 17% of homes in St Peter, according to Jersey Electricity.
Plans for Mont Fondon are part of JE’s aims to help the government hit its Carbon Neutral Roadmap targets and boost the Island’s energy security.
“Ground-mount solar sites export electricity back to the grid allowing the whole community to share,” the utility company said in a statement.
Jersey Electricity wants to build “around six” solar farms by the end of 2026. Last year, Jersey’s first ground solar farm was installed in St Clement.
JE has also submitted proposals for sites in Sorel and St Mary.
The St Mary plans, which would house 10,000 ground-mounted photovoltaic panels, could generate power for almost 1,200 homes but have prompted protests from parishioners that they are “too big and too intrusive in the countryside”.
The land in St Peter will remain in agricultural use during the 40-year lifespan of the solar installation.
“We consider the impact on the surrounding areas and neighbours,” said Mark Preece, JE’s chief executive. “Crucially we are adopting the very highest standards in the way we are assessing the suitability of sites to ensure that the facilities are built as sensitively as possible and in a way that can actually improve environmental sustainability.
“We invite St Peter parishioners to take the opportunity to learn more about ground-mount solar and view the site plans. Our team will be on hand to answer questions and listen to feedback.
“Consulting and listening to the local community on these solar developments is an important part of the process and will help to shape the planning submission, so I would encourage people to come along, find out more and share their ideas.”
