Green Nation Developing 750MW Solar and Storage NSIP for 2029 Connection

Wedoany.com Report-Nov 18, Solar developer Green Nation has announced plans to develop a solar and energy storage Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) in south Yorkshire.

The Whitestone Solar Farm, set to be located between Rotherham and Doncaster, is currently in the early stages of development, with the first public consultation set to open on 18 November and run until 17 January 2025. A representative for the project confirmed to Solar Power Portal that the final development could supply up to 750MW to the National Grid, while additionally featuring a battery energy storage system (BESS) of an unconfirmed capacity.

Green Nation is aiming to submit its application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to the UK government in spring 2026, following two rounds of public consultations. If this timeline is met, a decision from the Secretary of State for Energy, Ed Miliband, is expected in the summer of 2027. If the project is approved, construction will likely begin later in 2027, with a grid connection date forecast for 2029.

The proposals will include biodiversity enhancements, with a launch leaflet from Green Nation stating that the plans will include the creation of new habitats for native species. The developer notes that biodiversity enhancement plans will be informed by environmental assessments and consultations with local experts, the Environment Agency, and Natural England.

Jonathan Thompson, founder and CEO of Green Nation, said: “We are excited to launch Whitestone Solar Farm, which stands to make an important contribution to our national energy goals. We are still early in the project’s development and encourage anyone with an interest in the proposals to meet with us during the first consultation and to share their views on our early proposals.”

Yorkshire: the next solar and BESS hotspot?

Yorkshire has become something of a hotspot for solar power plants and BESS developments in recent months and years, with several high-profile projects located in the region.

On 24 October, the 55MW Skeeby project in North Yorkshire, which is oned and operated by Atrato Onsite Energy, came online, becoming Yorkshire’s largest operational solar PV power plant. Atrato has signed a three-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with UK utility OVO Energy, which will receive 49GWh of electricity each year from the site.

In late October, renewable energy developer OnPath Energy broke ground on a 40MW solar PV power plant in West Yorkshire, east of the city of Leeds. Early construction is now underway, with the first solar panels set to reach the site in spring 2025.

German power producer RWE is currently developing a solar NSIP in the East Riding of Yorkshire, having recently concluded its statutory consultation period for the proposed 320MW Peartree Hill solar plus storage project. The final DCO submission is expected to take place later this year.