The proposed solar farm project at a former landfill site in Bridgwater is still in the works, despite the Somerset County Council’s decision to withdraw financial backing. Originally planned for the Saltlands area near the town’s waste recycling center, the project faced setbacks when the council pulled out due to a ‘financial emergency’ and delays from the National Grid.
However, there’s still hope for the solar farm, with the potential for the project to be partially operational by the end of 2025, albeit without further public funding. The initial phase may only see half of the site connected, though planning permission is already in place.
The site, once a landfill for inert waste, has the potential to generate over 3.6 million kilowatt hours of clean energy annually, significantly contributing to carbon reduction efforts. The council anticipates that the eastern half of the site could be connected to the grid by 2025, with efforts underway to explore options for the western side of the site.
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The council’s county-wide energy plan and the pursuit of accelerated grid connection offers from National Grid signal a continued commitment to the project, despite the lack of public funding support. This persistence has been met with mixed reactions from local councillors, with concerns raised about the impact on farmland and the desire to prioritize solar panel installation on industrial buildings.
With plans for the solar farm’s development expected to be presented to the council’s executive committee in spring 2025, the fate of the project still hangs in the balance amidst ongoing financial challenges.