AMPYR Solar Europe gains consent for 29.9MW Dunfermline solar farm plus battery storage

AMPYR Solar Europe gains planning consent for 29.9MW solar farm with battery storage near Dunfermline. Image: AMPYR Solar Europe.

AMPYR Solar Europe has confirmed it has gained planning consent from Fife Council to develop a 29.9MW solar farm and 20MW battery storage system near Dunfermline.

Developing the solar farm will provide renewable energy for the local area, something that is of increasing importance as the UK races towards net zero targets, with the battery energy storage facility also expected to store renewable energy for when demand is high.

“We are very pleased indeed not only to have secured this consent but also by the level of support in Dunfermline for this proposal,” said Mark Wood, UK head of AMPYR Solar Europe.

“Dunfermline solar energy park is one of a number of renewable energy projects ASE is investing in and developing in Scotland and the strong commitment of the Scottish Government and Fife Council to renewable energy has given us great confidence to support their journey towards a zero-carbon future and greater energy security for all.”

The solar farm will be developed on a fully remediated, former open-cast coal mine, helping to convert fossil fuel assets to renewable projects for the future.

The project includes an active habitat management plan, wildflower meadows between the panels, planting of a native hedgerow and a scattered tree line. These enhancements will help to boost biodiversity while the area under the panels will continue to be used for grazing.

A site feasibility and planning application had been led by David Bell Planning.

Earlier in the year, AMPYR Solar Europe announced a new partnership with CarVal Investors, which the firm stated will help develop over 2GW of solar power capacity by 2025.

With this, an initial payment of £209 million (€250 million) had been made with an additional increment of £125 million (€150 million) for a facility that will cover the construction costs of solar assets with a focus on sites in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.

This greatly enhances the scope of the company’s solar portfolio ambitions, and the new Dunfermline site is a direct result of this investment.

Hartree Partners launched AMPYR Solar Europe in February 2021 as a result of a joint venture between the energy trading company, AGP Group and NaGa Solar.

Hartree stated AMPYR would develop a portfolio of at least 4GW of solar projects in the UK, the Netherlands and Germany. It builds on Hartree’s existing partnership with AGP, with the two companies already developing 1.5GW of onshore wind, solar PV and associated battery storage in the UK.

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