About

Green Energy and Climate Change

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major contributor to global warming, causing climate change and the main global source of CO2 is the burning of fossil fuels.  

In 2016, the UK signed the Paris Agreement, which is a global agreement between nations to reduce global warming, specifically to keep the increase in global temperature to below 2^oC above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5^o C.

Wales has committed to be “Net Zero” by 2050 with interim targets of a 63% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 and an 89% reduction by 2040. To achieve these targets, Wales, along with other countries will need to reduce its dependency upon fossil fuels. This can, in part, be achieved by moving towards renewable sources of energy generation (such as wind and solar power).

Solar farms generate electricity during daylight hours (even on a cloudy day), therefore the peaks and troughs of electricity generation may not always coincide with the peaks and troughs of demand. Battery storage supports the increased reliance on renewable sources of energy by importing electricity from the National Grid at time of low demand and exporting it back into the grid at times of high demand.

It proposed that the solar farm will be connected directly to the Five Fords Wastewater Treatment Works operated by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW)

DCWW are one of the largest energy users in Wales with an annual demand of 500GWh of electricity. They have set out a strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2040. The proposed solar farm will provide approximately 3% of DCWW’s current demand. This will have a meaningful impact on DCWW’s energy costs and help keep consumer bills down and DCWW is a not-for-profit organisation, the savings can be reinvested into the business securing jobs or improving services

Construction Management

The Northern Site will be accessed from Cefn Road utilising an existing site access which is already used by large farm machinery. Visibility splays will be provided to ensure that the access is safe for all road users.

The Southern Site will be accessed from the existing FFWTW access. This access has previously been widened in connection with the operation of FFWTW. This access will no further modifications or visibility splays.

The majority of vehicular movements will occur during the construction and decommissioning phases, and these can be adequately accommodated for within the local highway network and managed through a Construction Management Plan (and decommissioning plan). During the operational phase of the solar park, there will be limited vehicle movements to and from the site associated with on site management and maintenance.

The site will not be open to the public and the proposed development will not impinge upon the ability of the public to use the local PRoW network.

Design

The layout of the site has been designed to maximise the energy generation of the panels, whilst retaining existing trees and hedgerows.

The panels and supporting electrical infrastructure have been sited outside of the zones with the highest risk of flooding.

Service pipes are known to cross the site and panels have been sited outside of the required easement zone. The has had the beneficial effect of setting the solar farm back from Cefn Road and enabling additional hedgerow planting.

Landscape and Ecology

A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) and an Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) have been submitted in support of the application.

The LVIA has assessed the impact of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of the landscape from a number of viewpoints. It is proposed to enhance existing hedgerows and to plant new hedgerows and areas of woodland planting.

The EcIA has been informed by surveys of breeding birds and testing for Great Crested Newts (GCN) in ponds within 50 metres of the site. Enhancements for ecology are proposed include the provision of hibernaculum and scrub planting.

The operator of the solar farm will manage and maintain the site to ensure that all of the mitigation and enhancement measures continue to function during the operational period of the development. An agricultural use can remain as the areas underneath and around the panels can be grazed by sheep. This is an efficient and sustainable method of managing the land and reduces the need for herbicides and mechanical cuts.