Jersey Electricity plans for St Martin solar farm shelved – BBC

Proposals for a solar farm have been shelved after a public consultation.
Jersey Electricity said the plans for the farm at the Belle Fontaine site in St Martin would not be progressed following feedback from the public and discussions with the Crown which owns the land.
The firm said it continued to review the suitability of potential solar sites in efforts to increase the use of renewable energy on the island.
It said it remained "fully committed" to the transition to cleaner energy and the identification of sites where renewable generation and agricultural activity can coexist.
Jersey Electricity had previously said the 5.2-megawatt project would cover about 20 acres (eight hectares) of Crown land, with panels designed to operate alongside crops and livestock in an agrivoltaic system, which sees the dual use of land.
Residents had subsequently raised concerns that the proposed solar field could alter the tranquil and rural character of the parish, and disrupt wildlife.
Announcing that it had pulled the plug on the plans, Jersey Electricity said it would continue to hold public consultations at early stages on other proposed ground-mounted solar developments.
A spokesperson for the firm said: "Ground-mounted solar remains a cost-effective way to diversify Jersey's electricity supply, strengthen the island's energy resilience and support environmental objectives."
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Developers wanted to build 60 turbines up to 250m (820ft) tall near Moffat, which drew objections from the local community.
Up to 350 job roles could be at risk at Selby-based Drax Group, which operates in the UK and USA.
East Surrey Hospital, Redhill, received funds from Great British Energy for over 2,800 panels.
The body responsible for managing the UK's airspace opposes the project in southern Scotland.
Mingyang plans to build a £1.5bn wind turbine manufacturing plant at the Highland port.
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