RWE is developing proposals for a new solar farm with co-located energy storage in Cumbria. The solar farm, named Lostrigg Solar, is to be located on land alongside the A595, between Little Clifton and Branthwaite.

Lostrigg Solar would comprise the installation of solar photovoltaic panels, an energy storage facility, and the infrastructure needed to connect the project to the regional electricity grid. It will also include measures to support wildlife, manage potential impacts, and provide a range of benefits for the local community and environment.

RWE is a leading solar and battery energy storage developer with one of the largest development pipelines in the UK. RWE has a wealth of experience in energy generation, supplying people and companies with electricity for more than 125 years.

Since 2022, RWE has expanded its solar and co-located battery storage development and our Solar and Storage team have achieved consent for projects delivering over 1 gigawatt (GW) of generating capacity across the UK and Ireland.

We are committed to developing sustainable solutions for energy security that benefit the local community, the natural environment, and wildlife.

To find out more, please click here.

Lostrigg Solar is to be located on land alongside the A595, between Little Clifton and Branthwaite, in Cumbria. The site we are considering has an area of 417 hectares of land, though we expect this area to reduce as we progress through the application process.

The draft Order Limits comprise three Panel Areas – the Northern Panel Area, Central Panel Area and Southern Panel Area.

• Northern Panel Area – approximately 450m to the south of Little Clifton

• Central Panel Area – approximately 800m north west of Branthwaite

• Southern Panel Area – approximately 220m north-east of Lillyhall Industrial Estate and 1.5km west of Branthwaite

The site location map shows the extent of the land available for the proposed solar farm, battery storage and its grid connection. Please click here to view the project location map.

A range of environmental and technical factors suggest the site is a suitable location for a solar farm. These include existing land uses being compatible, our understanding of potential environmental constraints, and existing access routes for construction vehicles, minimising any traffic disruption.

Lostrigg Solar will have a possible generation capacity of up to 100 megawatts, providing clean and affordable energy for around 45,000 homes and businesses, distributed via the Electricity North West network.

Solar farms and energy storage facilities are a key part of addressing the UK’s energy challenges of rising prices, security of supply, and harmful emissions.

Solar is a proven technology that can be installed at relative speed. By harnessing a renewable resource, it reliably generates low-carbon, affordable electricity. Storage facilities can support by holding excess electricity until it is needed. Together they can reduce the UK’s reliance on imported energy.

The UK has set an ambitious and legally binding commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and large-scale solar development is widely recognised as having an important role to play in helping achieve this target.

Subject to being consented and becoming operational, Lostrigg Solar will make an important contribution toward national and regional aims to decarbonise our electricity system and improve our energy security; generating enough sustainable, affordable electricity to power approximately 45,000 households and businesses and save over 3 million tonnes of carbon emissions from entering our atmosphere over the project lifetime.

Lostrigg Solar would comprise the installation of solar photovoltaic panels, an energy storage facility, and the infrastructure needed to connect the project to the regional electricity grid.

 The proposals for this development include:

• Three areas of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels;

• Co-located battery energy storage system which will serve to improve reliability and efficiency of electricity supply;

• An on-site substation;

• Two 132kV pylons (existing or replacement);

• Cabling to connect the panel areas to each other and the existing Electricity North West network;

• A range of supporting infrastructure, including inverters and security measures such as fencing, CCTV and lighting; and

• Environmental mitigation and enhancement measures such as biodiversity net gain, enhancement of existing mature trees and hedgerow and additional planting and buffer zones.

   

A BESS provides an important balancing service, allowing electricity generated by the panels to be stored at times of low demand, and then exported onto the system when demand increases. As part of our proposals, Lostrigg Solar would include a co-located BESS which will serve to improve the reliability and efficiency of electricity supply.

We have carefully considered the proposed layout to integrate with the landscape. This includes setting panels back from existing settlement edges, breaking up larger areas of panels with new hedgerows along historic boundaries to reinforce historic landscape character, connect habitats and break up and reduce the size of Panel Areas in views.

Additionally, a reasonable buffer of 50 meters between residential dwellings and the nearest solar panels has been applied to mitigate potential effects on residential visual amenity.

During our first phase of consultation members of the local community expressed a desire for paths to be improved. As such, a 1.3km permissive path is proposed to substantially improve access to the countryside in proximity to local communities and to join up fragmented parts of the existing Public Rights of Way network.

The proposals will deliver an increase in biodiversity of at least 10% compared to current levels – known as a ‘Biodiversity Net Gain’ (BNG). This will be achieved through increasing and improving habitat areas through the provision of species rich grassland and wetland meadow habitat creation . This will contribute towards enhanced habitat connectivity.

As part of our proposals for Lostrigg Solar, we will:

• Increase and improve habitat areas through the provision of species rich grassland and planting of mature trees and hedgerows.

• Explore opportunities to enhance green infrastructure, such as introduce new a new permissive path, woodland blocks and hedgerow planting.

• Allow continued agricultural use by exploring opportunities to retain grazing under solar panels.

As well as the above, we will also retain mature trees, woodland blocks and hedgerow boundaries within the proposed areas for solar panels.

We are committed to working with local communities to define and identify community benefits, and have committed to a dedicated £1.6million community benefit fund. We want to hear your views on how this should be spent.  

We are keen to hear your suggestions on local schemes and projects we could support or deliver to benefit communities closest to the project. As part of our Phase Two Community Consultation, please detail any community initiatives you would like the project team to consider in our feedback form, linked here.