Large-scale Renewable Energy Generation and Storage Requirements

Large-scale Renewable Energy Generation and Storage Requirements A. Solar Energy Development on Brownfield Land Solar development on brownfield and previously developed land will be supported where it: 1. Makes efficient use of maximising the renewable energy potential of the land. 2. Demonstrates that contamination, ground conditions, or structural constraints have been appropriately addressed. 3. Incorporates landscape led design, including screening, boundary treatments and integration with surrounding character. 4. Avoids unacceptable impacts on neighbouring uses including glint, and glare, noise and visual intrusion. B. Solar Energy Development on Greenfield Land Solar development on greenfield land must demonstrate: 1. Site selection justification showing preferences for lower grade land and clear evidence that Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land is not required for food production 2. Avoids visually prominent ridgelines and land with high ecological value or irreplaceable habitats 3. Landscape mitigation including: a. Retention and enhancement of hedgerows; b. Native planting to screen large scale renewable energy systems and to integrate development into the landscape; c. layouts that follow field pattern and avoid visually prominent ridgelines. 4. Biodiversity enhancements, glint and glare assessments where relevant to highways, aviation or residential receptors and cumulative impact assessments where multiple solar schemes exist or are proposed in the area. C. Solar Energy Development on Other Land Solar development may also be supported on: • Mineral sites including restored or worked out quarries • Landfill sites capped or restored where engineering constraints are addressed. • Low grade grassland or marginal land with limited ecological or agricultural value. • Transport corridors such as rail sidings or highway verges where safety and operational requirements are met. • Car parks including solar canopies, where visual and amenity impacts are acceptable. D. Wind Energy Development Wind energy proposals will be supported where they are located on: • brownfield or previously developed land; • lower grade agricultural land (Grades 3b-5); or • large estates, upland areas or open farmland with low environmental sensitivity. Wind energy development on Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land (Grades 1, 2, and 3a) may be permitted where it can be demonstrated that: • A sequential site assessment has been undertaken demonstrating no reasonable alternative lower-grade sites are available; • The development allows for continued agricultural use of the majority of the site (dual use); and • Turbine siting and associated infrastructure minimise the permanent loss of productive agricultural land. Wind energy proposals must demonstrate that: • Noise, shadow flicker and vibration impacts are minimised. • Biodiversity impacts on ecological corridors are avoided or mitigated. • Aviation and radar safeguarding requirements are met in consultation with the relevant authorities. • Turbine lighting, height and siting minimise landscape and visual impacts. • Cumulative impacts assessment addresses landscape, visual ecological and aviation impacts. E. Micro and Small-Scale Wind Energy Development Micro and small-scale wind energy developments will be supported in towns, villages and rural settlements where impacts are acceptable. Proposals will be supported where they: • Are appropriately located within or adjacent to existing settlements; • Do not result in unacceptable impacts on visual amenity, heritage assets, or local character; • Avoid unacceptable noise impacts on sensitive receptors; and • Are designed to minimise harm to the built and natural environment. F . Battery Storage Development Battery Storage proposals must demonstrate: • Co-location with renewable energy wherever feasible • Fire safety including compliance with recognised standards thermal runway containment emergency access and separation distances. • Noise mitigation including acoustic screening where required. • Visual mitigation including landscaping and sensitive setting. • Preference for sites near substations, grid nodes or existing energy infrastructure to minimise new grid works. It would be considered unsuitable to locate these features on isolated greenfield sites or on sensitive landscapes or heritage settings. G. Heat Networks and Strategic Heat Infrastructure Major developments must be heat network ready where a district heat network exists, is planned, or is considered likely to come forward within a reasonable timeframe, as identified through local energy mapping, and Infrastructure Plans. Where such evidence is not available, applicants must provide a proportionate assessment of heat network potential, including consideration of proximity to existing or planned heat networks, potential heat demand and supply opportunities, the scale, nature and location of the development, and physical, technical, economic and operational constraints affecting deliverability. In applicable locations, proposals must demonstrate that building design and site layout allow for future connection, including safeguarding space for plant, provision of pipe routes, and connection points, unless demonstrated to be unviable or technically impractical through evidence. Large scale water source and ground source heat pumps will be supported where no significant adverse environmental impacts arise that cannot be avoided, mitigated or compensated through the mitigation hierarchy, and where impacts are assessed through environmental information, including Environmental Impact Assessment where required. Proposals must demonstrate efficient integration with local energy systems and minimise impacts on water courses, groundwater and biodiversity. There will be a presumption against development of strategic heat infrastructure in areas of high ecological sensitivity regarding watercourses and in areas without viable heat loads. H. Farm Based Bioenergy (Anaerobic Digestion and Biomass) Anaerobic digestion (AD) and small-scale biomass proposals will be supported where they: • Use genuine waste, agricultural residues and unavoidable by products not energy crops that compete with food production or biodiversity. • Demonstrate acceptable impacts on: o Traffic, including HGV routing and access. o Odour with appropriate containment and management o Digestate storage and spreading including nutrient management plans o Grid connection including early engagement with DNOs. o The landscape, heritage and biodiversity. • Support farm and estate energy hubs combining PV , storage, AD and other technologies where impacts are acceptable. It would be generally unacceptable unless justified to locate these facilities where there would be significantly increased HGV impacts on sites that are near sensitive receptors without odour mitigation. Sites reliant on energy crops would also not be supported. I. Green Hydrogen Production, Storage and Pipelines Green hydrogen proposals will be supported where they: • Use renewable electricity as the primary energy source. • Are located near renewable generation, industrial users or strategic transport corridors. • Demonstrate safe design for hydrogen storage, compression and pipelines including separation distances and emergency planning. • Support industrial decarbonisation zones or transport decarbonisation. These would be a presumption against development, unless justified in sensitive landscape or heritage settings or areas with limited emergency access. J. Hydro Energy (Tidal Stream and Wave): Hydro energy proposals will be supported where they: • Demonstrate acceptable impacts on shoreline processes, ecology, navigation and fisheries. • Avoid harm to habitats. • Avoid harm to riverbanks, corridors and landscape, including natural flood plains. • Provide appropriate onshore grid connections. • Minimise landscape impacts. • Do not increase risk of flooding or drainage issues in surrounding areas. • Demonstrate that the development does not create unacceptable risks to public safety, water users, or coastal or river environments, including risks arising from installation, operation, maintenance and decommissioning. This includes safe siting of turbines and infrastructure, protection or navigation routes and water- based recreation, and appropriate consultation with relevant safety and navigation authorities. K. Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) BECCS proposals will be supported where they: • Use sustainable feedstocks that do not compete with food production or biodiversity • Demonstrate safe and efficient carbon capture processes • Provide secure transport and storage routes for captures of CO2 It would be considered unsuitable to locate these on isolated greenfield sites or on sites with sensitive landscape or heritage settings. Locations with limited access to CO2 transport routes or sites reliant on unsustainable feedstocks. Policy Justification 3.7.8 Policies ID.21 and ID.22 provides a clear and robust framework for delivering large scale renewable energy generation and storage in a manner that supports national net zero objectives while protecting the environment, landscape, heritage and agricultural resources while ensuring community wellbeing while ensuring that land is used efficiently and sensitively. 3.7.9 Directing large scale schemes to brownfield and lower grade land protects Best and Most Versatile soil and supports long term food security. 3.7.10 Co-location of generation and storage, whole system energy planning and early engagement with grid operators ensure deliverability and efficient use of infrastructure. Circular economy principles, construction management and ro