Parishioners in St Mary are being invited to a community consultation to view proposed plans for two ground-based solar installations which combined would generate enough electricity to power nearly 1,200 average Jersey homes.
Jersey Electricity (JE) is inviting those living in the parish to visit the consultation on Tuesday 11 July at St Mary’s Parish Hall to discuss plans for solar arrays on La Rue d’Olive and La Rue de la Hougue Mauger and view the proposed site plans. With a total generation capacity of 8 MWp and covering approximately 68 vergées (approx 0.20% of land classified as agricultural), the two sites will export electricity back to the grid allowing the whole community to benefit from locally-generated renewable energy, diversify the Island’s energy mix and increase Jersey’s energy security.
JE CEO Chris Ambler said, ‘In an environment of increasing energy costs, finding new ways to cost effectively diversify Jersey’s sources of electricity is becoming increasingly important, and we believe community-based ground-mounted solar photovoltaics (PV) has an important role to play. We hope that St Mary Parishioners will take the opportunity to learn more about ground-mount solar and come and view the site plans. Our team will be on hand to answer questions and listen to feedback. Engaging with the local community on these solar developments is important to JE and will help to shape the planning submission, so I would encourage people to come along, find out more and share their ideas.’
When JE identifies sites with the potential to be used for a ground-mount solar development, the teams collaborate with local ecologists and agriculturists to ensure the fields can be maintained for agricultural use and be certain that the installation will enhance existing habitats. Ground-based solar are static and silent and are able to enhance the biodiversity of local flora and fauna, pollinators, birds and mammals. They are also temporary structures that, unlike other developments, allow fields to be completely returned back to their current state at the end of the solar array’s life.
Both St Mary’s sites meet strict criteria and the land will continue to be used for farming purposes such as grazing by livestock or growing crops under the panels.
Ground-mount solar installations form a key part of JE’s on-Island renewable strategy. Plans for Jersey’s first ground-mount solar installation in St Clement were approved earlier this year and a second application at Sorel was recently submitted to Planning.
‘Ground-based solar is a relatively new technology for Jersey with many benefits for the local community. We understand concerns about agricultural land being taken away, which is why we are working hard to find new innovative ways of maintaining ongoing agricultural use. Livestock can continue to graze, and more sensitive crops can be grown that fare better under the shade of the panels. We are proposing using bifacial panels, so any light reflected off the ground or surrounding surfaces can also be absorbed behind the panel, generating more energy with less land.
‘Partnering with the community, local businesses and landowners to generate sustainable energy is a win for all Islanders and plays an important role in securing affordable and secure electricity for the long term,’ added Mr Ambler.
Jersey Electricity’s community consultation on the proposed solar installations will be open 10am – 8pm on Tuesday 11 July at St Mary’s Parish Hall.
*based on the States Agriculture and Fisheries statistics (gov.je)
