Project Fortress

Project Fortress is a photovoltaic power station under construction in the UK. [1] It is sited on the Graveney marshes between Faversham and Whitstable, Kent in the UK. It will generate 350MW of electricity from 900 acres (360 ha) vertical solar panels and will feature 700MWh of battery storage.[2] Because of its size, it is a nationally significant infrastructure project so outside the standard local planning procedure.

Project Fortress
CountryEngland
LocationKent
Coordinates51.3344°N 0.9429°E / 51.3344; 0.9429
StatusApproved
Construction began2022
Owner(s)
  • Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners
External links
Websitewww.clevehillsolar.com

Description

The solar farm was developed in partnership by Hive Energy and Wirsol Energy Ltd and was originally named Cleve Hill Solar Farm. It was acquired by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners in October 2021 and renamed Project Fortress. [3][4] Once operational, it will be the largest solar farm in the UK, generating 350 MW of electricity. The 800 acres (320 ha) of Grade 3b agricultural land will be covered by the east-west facing solar photovoltaic panels. [5]

Across the marsh run the 400kV powerlines of the national grid. They are supported by eight 40m pylons.[6] There is a large 150/400kV electricity substation at Cleve Hill, serving the London Array offshore wind farm that lies to the north beyond the mouth of the Thames Estuary. The output from the Solar Farm will use this substation to connect to the grid. Here, a battery array will be placed, that will charge from the sunlight during the day and release the energy at night when it is needed. [7]

Construction faced opposition by residents and environmental groups on the grounds of loss of biodiversity resulting from covering large areas with PV panels, and safety, where concerns were raised about a possible fire and explosion of the battery blocks.[8][9]

  • Ditches on the Graveney marsh
    Ditches on the Graveney marsh
  • Construction of the sub-station 2009
    Construction of the sub-station 2009

See also

References
  1. Wright, Joe (28 May 2020). "UK's biggest solar park approved for Kent". Kent Online. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  2. "Cleve Hill Solar Park". www.erm.com. Retrieved 2021-08-06.
  3. "Quinbrook acquisition | Solar Power Portal | Quinbrook acquires Cleve Hill". Solar Power Portal. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  4. Wright, Joe (2021-10-24). "UK's biggest solar farm renamed Project Fortress in takeover". Kent Online. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  5. "Wirsol | Your Partner for Renewable Energy | Cleve Hill Solar Park". Wirsol. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  6. "Geometries of power lines". www.emfs.info. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  7. "Welcome to our website - Welcome". Welcome to our website. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  8. Southworth, Phoebe (2020-05-10). "UK's largest solar farm could cause explosion on scale of small nuclear bomb, residents complain". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  9. "'Solar farm explosion would be like nuclear bomb'". Kent Online. 2020-05-03. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
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