Opinions sought for 360-acre Welsh solar farm
Known as Glöyn Byw, or ‘Butterfly’, the solar array would be built on land to the south of Wrexham and have the potential to power more than 33,000 Welsh homes.
Should the RWE Renewables scheme reach completion, it would have an export energy capacity of 99.9MW, and could save 2.2m tonnes of CO2 compared to fossil fuel generation each year, according to the electricity producer.
Butterfly’s power generation would be equivalent to planting 36 million trees or taking half a million cars off the road a year.
Three sites have been earmarked to host solar panels, the Western Array, which would cover 54 acres, the Eastern Array would cover 133 acres, and the largest, the Central Array, spanning 173 acres.
As the site would have an electrical generating capacity of more than 10MW, it would be defined as a development of national significance.
The scheme roughly follows the B5426, encompassing large swathes of agricultural land between Johnstown and Bangor-on-Dee at its eastern edge.
In addition to the panels, battery storage units would be constructed to maximise the use of the power station. The storage units would balance the grid and improve reliability.
The scheme has promised to be sensitive to the countryside landscape. Credit: via planning documents.
A public consultation has officially been launched, and two in-person events have been arranged for:
- Friday 21 February 1-6pm at Marchwiel Village Hall
- Wednesday 26 February 1-6pm at Ruabon Village Hall
The consultation will close on 3 March 2025, with another round due later in the year. You can access the consultation at uk.rwe.com/project-proposals/butterfly-solar-farm/
Plans suggest the scheme would provide a £1.5m community benefit fund to support local community initiatives, incorporate more than three kilometres of public footpaths to the fields, and plant over 30 acres of wildflower meadows – living up to its Butterfly namesake.
Animals would be free to graze between the panels, creating multi-use land and retaining soil quality.
The solar farm would also pay Wrexham Council £4.4m in business rates over the 40-year life of the project.
RWE Group is the largest energy producer in Wales and has invested more than £3bn into the country since 2010.
This is the recipe of strategy that is making our electricity prices the highest in the developed world – huge subsidises and unreliable energy that needs gas back up –
By Stuart wood
What is needed are lot of small nuclear reactors, in addition to our offshore wind for sovereign electricity generation. The gas will run out one day.
Solar should be placed on rooftops rather than in fields – why risk a ‘culture war’?
By Rye
Stuart, there are no subsidies for Solar, they were stopped some time ago. It is currently the only renewable that is commercially viable without subsidies…
By anon
Lots of research proves roof mounted solar contributes nowhere near the amount of commercial scale energy required for future demand. Battery storage, onshore and offshore wind, hydro, all of these things are an energy *mix* which is what gives us reliable, renewable and cheaper energy. Whilst focus needs to be on reforming the grid system, I’d like more of this at the same time please.
By Anonymous
Battery storage and onshore wind are also commercially viable without subsidies…
By Anonymous
I fully support this scheme. Wales needs to be more self sufficient. Nuclear is decades away and Solar can be connected in a couple of years. There is no way roof top could provide enough space for the panels, let alone getting an agreement with 1000s of landlords. We just have to accept this is the way forward if we want to keep the lights on, cars charged etc etc
By Anon2