Frequently Asked Questions
Why do we need solar farms?
Northern Ireland’s Climate Bill has a target to meet at least 80% of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2030.Whilst Northern Ireland has been successful at utilising its natural resources, to meet its electricity needs, around 50% of electricity consumption still comes from fossil fuels. Significant new renewable generation is required to meet this target with solar having an important role to play.
Solar energy also enables more electricity to be generated domestically without reliance on imports and is not subject to sudden price fluctuations or the uncertainty of global markets. It can therefore play an important role in improving the security and diversification of NI’s energy supply.
Why have you chosen this site?
The site has been chosen as it lies outside of any statutory ecological and landscape designations. Importantly it has a viable grid connection which can be achieved via the existing 110kV transmission overhead lines, which cross the site, which negates the need for an approximate 9km grid connection as proposed in the preliminary plans.
How much electricity would the solar farm produce?
Glenhead Solar Farm would be capable of generating up to 80MW of clean, low cost electricity. That's enough to power around 24,000 homes2.
The project would also include a 100MW energy storage system which can store energy at times when generation exceeds demand and releasing electricity back to the national grid network when demand exceeds generation. Energy storage is also considered the fastest technology for responding to a sudden spike in demand or an abrupt loss of supply.
Due to the existing high levels of renewable generation in the northwest, we anticipate that Glenhead will provide a significant opportunity for energy storage which will contribute to wider grid decarbonisation.
What stage is the project at?
Following our public exhibition in June 2024, we are taking time to carefully consider the feedback received from the local community and statutory stakeholders as well as collating findings from site surveys which are currently ongoing.
We now expect to submit a planning application in early 2025 and will update this website with any changes.
We have produced a community newsletter in response to common questions, comments, and concerns raised during the consultation. Please click here for more information.
What if I couldn't make it to the public exhibition?
We also launched an Online Public Exhibition where you can see all the information presented at the in person exhibition. Click here to find out more information.
Although our consultation period has finished, if you have any questions or queries please do contact us.
What benefits will the project deliver?
Glenhead Solar Farm also has significant potential to enhance biodiversity, hosting a range of habitats including wildflower meadows, hedgerows, and nectar-rich areas for pollinators. A typical solar farm uses around just 5% of the total site area with the rest of the land remaining undisturbed, creating significant opportunities to provide a range of ecological benefits.
RES is committed to ensuring that, wherever possible, local contractors and employees are used in all aspects of solar farm development. The major opportunities arise during the construction phase when suitably qualified local firms are often invited to bid for different aspects of construction. We encourage our contractors to source construction materials locally (i.e. within the county) and to use local transport and plant hire companies where possible, in addition to local services and amenities.
RES also believes that our renewable energy schemes should also provide meaningful benefits locally. If the Glenhead project is consented, we plan to launch our innovative Local Electricity Discount Scheme (LEDS) which provides an annual discount on the electricity bills of properties closest to the solar farm. The scheme would be open to all residential, business and community buildings (including schools, places of worship and village halls) within the eligible area with an electricity meter. We continue to welcome feedback from the community on any alternative suggestions that will help to secure long-term economic, social and environmental benefits and provide a lasting legacy in the local area.
Would construction of the solar farm generate lots of traffic?
If the solar farm is consented, during the construction period, there will be short periods where there will be peak traffic flow for equipment delivery. During the construction period, we estimate there will be a average daily maximum of 10 HGV vehicles (20 movements). Much of the time, traffic will be limited to personnel getting to and from site.
We are consulting with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) Roads, the emergency services, the local community and other relevant bodies to produce a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) to support any planning application. The CTMP will outline the overall framework for managing the safe movement of construction and delivery traffic as well as itemising the expected number of traffic movements and timing restrictions.
The traffic movements will be limited to avoid morning and evening peak times, where possible. There will also be a dedicated Community Liaison Officer to engage with local residents throughout the construction and operational phases.
Do solar farms pose a risk to food security?
Solar farms do not pose a threat to food security. One of the biggest risks to food security is the changing climate. According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), climate change could reduce the UK’s stock of high-grade agricultural land by nearly three-quarters by 20503.
Glenhead Solar Farm will help towards tackling climate change and furthermore, is specifically designed to be dual purpose, enabling continued agricultural use, in the form of sheep grazing, and renewable generation.
Shouldn't solar be put onto roofs?
Rooftop solar has an important part to playing in meeting net zero targets. Analysis from the Climate Change Committee and other independent bodies shows that the UK will need to deploy at least 40GW of solar by 2030 if it is to achieve net zero by 2050. Solar Energy UK estimate that around 37% (15GW) of this could be provided by residential and commercial rooftop solar, with the remaining 63% (25GW) coming from large scale ground mounted solar farms4.
How many solar panels will there be and how tall are they?
The solar panels we propose for Glenhead will be up to 3.6m metres tall. This height is becoming more common as solar technology becomes increasingly efficient allowing increased generation in a smaller area.
The height also allows the optimum ground clearance of 0.8 metres for sheep grazing and is the effective height for the use of the more efficient bifacial panels which we propose for Glenhead.
Bifacial solar panels which as the name suggests, have two sides of solar cells, enabling additional energy generation from the reflected and diffused light on the rear-side of the panels. Solar panels do not require direct sunlight to produce energy – diffuse sunlight is sufficient, and a grass surface reflects enough light to justify the use of bifacial modules.
The final height of the solar panels will be informed by ongoing surveys and assessments and feedback from the community and stakeholders.
1 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6556027d046ed400148b99fe/electricity-generation-costs-2023.pdf
2 The homes figure has been calculated by taking the predicted annual electricity generation of the site (using an average solar capacity factor of 11.2%) and dividing this by the annual average electricity figures from DESNZ showing that the annual GB average domestic household consumption is 3,239 kWh (January 2024).
3 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2021/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2021-theme-2-uk-food-supply-sources#united-kingdom-food-security-report-2021-theme2-indicator-2-1-15
4 https://solarenergyuk.org/resource/lighting-the-way-making-net-zero-a-reality-with-solar-energy/?cn-reloaded=1