Our current design for the proposed solar farm at New Acres Farm includes:
- Solar panels, mounted on the ground, with a clearance height of 0.6m at their lowest point to a maximum height of 3m. They will face south and be installed at an angle between 23 and 30 degrees, unless otherwise specified (e.g. to achieve set height limits).
- Transformers will increase voltage for efficient transport, distributed evenly throughout the site. Inverters will be either mounted on the solar arrays or located in medium voltage stations with the transformers.
- A substation will be along the existing 66kV overhead electricity line to the south, connecting the solar farm to the grid via the overhead line. It will cover about 90m by 30m, with a control building up to 5m high and an electrical bay with poles and equipment up to 6.5m high.
- The current plan is to install an underground cable that will emerge as an overhead line on a new pole, connecting to an existing 66kv pole.
- Trees and hedges will help screen the solar farm from the south, east and west, with additional planting planned. The existing public footpath will remain, with vegetation added for screening.
