Q&A

  • Elmya RPC UK Grange Road Limited is a joint venture between Elmya Energy and Renewable Power Capital Ltd. Elmya Energy is a renewable energy developer that aims to connect over 5 GW of renewable energy projects over the next 5 years in Europe. They focus on solar energy and storage, and more recently green hydrogen. The experienced team at Elmya has successfully developed more than 10 GW since 2008 and is currently developing over 4GW in the UK.  Elmya Energy’s owner-operator investment partner, Renewable Power Capital (RPC) was established in 2020, with the backing of CPP Investments, one of the world’s largest pension funds.It was launched to invest in onshore renewable energy and storage projects across Europe, providing unique finance solutions for different markets. Their mission is to accelerate the energy transition while delivering stable returns to investors and improving local communities. 

  • Elmya Energy are proposing to develop a renewable led energy scheme within the administrative area of Mid-Suffolk Council, on land north of Mendlesham.

    The project is hereby referred to as ‘White Elm Solar Farm’.

    White Elm Solar Farm would comprise the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of a grid connected Solar PV generating station together with battery energy storage system (BESS), access, landscaping and other associated development. The solar farm would have a design capacity of over 50 MW. The BESS facility will have the dual function of importing and exporting electricity from both the solar project and directly from the National Grid.

    White Elm Solar Farm would have a temporary 40-year operational lifespan, after which the development will be decommissioned and removed from the site.

  • White Elm Solar Farm is proposed to have a capacity of over 50 MW of renewable energy – enough to power in excess of 60,000 typical family homes per year.*

    *(Based upon average domestic electricity consumption per home (temperature corrected) as per Energy Consumption in the UK (published September 2021, Table C9 of ECUK: Consumption data tables).

  • BESS represent a key turning point in the transition towards clean and sustainable energy. The benefits they offer include:

    - Energy management flexibility - by storing excess electricity during low-demand periods and discharging it during high-demand periods, BESS helps with grid stability and helps integrate intermittent renewable energy sources seamlessly.

    - Grid stabilisation - the instantaneous power injection of batteries helps maintain grid stability and improve overall reliability.

    - Emission reduction – by facilitating the storage of renewable energy, our reliance on fossil fuel based backup power sources is reduced.

  • As part of the delivery of the project, Elmya Energy are committed to providing community benefits, the structure of which will be informed by discussions with the local communities throughout the forthcoming consultation stages of the project.

    In addition to providing a source of clean electricity and energy storage, the solar farm will also provide opportunities for local employment and local spending during the construction, operational and decommissioning phases of the project.

    The project would also introduce opportunities to incorporate biodiversity and ecological enhancements, to improve aspects of the local environment.

    If you have any suggestions for community benefits please let us know.

  • White Elm Solar Farm has a grid connection offer from National Grid. This provides that the White Elm Solar Farm will connect to existing grid infrastructure via a new substation. This new National Grid substation will be known as “Elmya Grange”.  The Developer understands that the Elmya Grange substation will be located within the project boundary. However, the location will be settled by National Grid in due course. We continue to liaise with National Grid in this regard. The grid connection for the White Elm Solar Farm is not contingent on the new Norwich to Tilbury line.

  • NSIP stands for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. It is a type of infrastructure project that is considered to be of national significance. These projects require a special planning and approval process to be granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) under the Planning Act 2008. NSIPs generally fall into one of five categories: Energy, Transport, Water, Waste Water and Waste.

  • The Planning Act 2008 sets out the relevant qualifying threshold for a project to be considered a NSIP.

    With respect to energy projects, generally the development of onshore electricity generating stations (with the exception of onshore wind and electricity storage) is considered a NSIP if it generates more than 50 MW in England and 350MW in Wales. Thereby, any solar farm in England which has a generating capacity of over 50MW is automatically considered a NSIP, irrespective of the size of the site itself.

  • Under the Planning Act 2008, a Development Consent Order (DCO) is the means of obtaining permission to construct and maintain developments categorised as NSIPs. DCOs differ from typical planning permissions granted under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as the outcome of the application is ultimately determined by the Secretary of State rather than local planning authorities.

    Anyone intending to construct a NSIP must first apply to the Planning Inspectorate for a DCO. The Planning Inspectorate reviews the application and provides a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, who ultimately makes the decision.

    For more detailed information on the process, please refer to this link.

  • Please refer to our timeline here for expected project milestones.

  • Before the application for a Development Consent Order is made, the project team will be undertaking a considerable consultation with residents and political stakeholders. This will consist of the following:

    Spring 2024 – Initial project introduction to key stakeholders and members of the public.

    Spring 2025 – The first stage of ‘non-statutory’ consultation with local residents, organisations and other stakeholders to receive preliminary views on the draft proposals.

    Winter 2025 –The second stage of ‘statutory’ consultation, which will give stakeholders the opportunity to see how the proposals have progressed and how their feedback has been responded to.

    During these two consultation periods residents, political stakeholders, and other interested organisations will be able to submit feedback. Details on how to do this will be made available closer to the consultation events.

  • You can contact us via the Contact Us page on this website. Please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0808 271 0537, or send us an email at info@whiteelmsolarfarm.com.

    You can also write to us at ‘FREEPOST WHITE ELM SOLAR FARM’ (no additional postage or address is required).

Please note that this section will evolve throughout the project program as more information becomes available. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the project team either by phone on 0808 271 0537, or send us an email at info@whiteelmsolarfarm.com.