Bringing Aycliffe Business Park Together | 27
A solar farm, similar to what could soon be
appearing near Aycliffe Business Park.
SOLAR FARM PLANS
MET WITH POSITIVITY
By Ryan Burton
Plans for a new solar
farm in Newton Aycliffe
are nearing completion.
Lightsource Renewable
Energy held a meeting
with town residents and
councillors during the
Christmas period.
Plans for the new solar farm was met with
positive reactions. People were particularly
impressed with how easily the site could be
screened and felt that it would improve the
poor quality of land it will be situated on near
School Aycliffe.
Mayor of Great Aycliffe, Councillor Wendy
Hillary has given her support to the new
plans.
Cllr Hillary said: “If it’s going to produce
energy and it’s carbon neutral then we’ll
support it.
“You will hardly see it, it won’t be
obstructive.
”
Cllr Hillary believes that this is just one
of the small steps needed in helping with
tackling the issues of global warming.
She said: “Globally, we needed to be more
energy efficient and conscious on how we
produce our energy.
“We can’t carry on throwing muck in the
water because otherwise the water won’t be
there to drink.
”
Solar energy is not a new concept to
residents of Newton Aycliffe, with a number
of households in the area having had solar
panels fitted on them.
Ian Gray, vice chair of the recreation
committee for Aycliffe Town Council, also
sees the benefits of the proposed plans.
“It will be sited on poor grade land, I’ve
walked across it a number of times and it is
not good land, he said.
”
“It will be next to INEOS, so in terms of
visual aspect, it will mean nothing.
”
Cllr Gray continued with the sentiments
that renewable energy is very much at the
forefront of future endeavours.
He added: “We’ve got to start looking
to the future and see what other forms of
renewable energy we can invest in for the
area.
”
Initial calculations carried out by
Lightsource indicate that the site could
power up to 1,300 households in the area
with over 2,200 tonnes of carbon emissions
being saved every year. This would be the
equivalent of taking 493 large family cars off
the road.
Solar panels do not require direct sunlight
to produce electricity, only daylight.
The solar panels are mounted on steel
legs planted into the ground and are easily
dismantled and removed without harming
the land.
The design of the panels accommodates
the grazing of livestock, allowing the land
to continue with its agricultural use by
producing food as well as energy.
Above: Great Aycliffe Town Council Mayor, Cllr
Wendy Hillary, has backed plans for a solar farm
near Aycliffe Business Park.