ABP lodges plans for floating Barrow solar farm
Associated British Ports has tabled proposals for what it claims will be the largest project of its type in the UK with Westmorland and Furness Council.
Barrow EnergyDock will be based in Barrow’s Cavendish Dock and will have a generating capacity in the region of up to 40MWp, enough to power the equivalent of circa 14,000 homes each year, according to ABP.
The energy is intended to be used by the advanced manufacturing sector and will help to better control the cost of electricity at the port.
The scheme forms part of ABP’s Barrow 2040 vision. A 200m jetty and several new bases to serve the offshore wind sector are also proposed.
ABP hopes Barrow will house teams that will build the next generation of wind turbines under the forthcoming £17bn Eastern Irish Sea Round 4 wind farm programme.
Bryan Davies, divisional port manager at ABP, said: “We’re excited to see the planning application submitted for Barrow EnergyDock, and to see the first element of ABP’s Port of Barrow Masterplan start to take shape.
“ABP’s masterplanning team worked with the local Barrow team to design a masterplan focussed on driving growth and strengthening the local economy in response to the significant investment coming to the region over the next ten to twenty years. Barrow EnergyDock is a pivotal step in realising our vision for a prosperous and sustainable future for Barrow.”
Kirsten Abbott, group commercial manager at ABP, said Barrow EnergyDock is “a testament to ABP’s commitment to sustainability and innovation”.
“It aligns with the goals set out in ABP’s sustainability strategy – Ready for Tomorrow – and represents a significant step towards a greener future for the port,” she added.
The port is home to BAE Systems’ submarine manufacturing facility, a critical facility in plans under the AUKUS security agreement between UK, US and Australia. Further land is due to be transferred to BAE Systems to expand its submarine section building capacity.
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