The project will combine 49.9MW of installed PV capacity with a similar-sized BESS, Image: Ridge Clean Energy.

UK developer Ridge Clean Energy has received planning approval for a 50MW solar and storage project in Nottinghamshire.

Fair Oaks Renewable Energy Park will be built on land to the south-west of the village of Ruddington and is expected to generate various local environmental and community side-benefits.

The project will combine 49.9MW of installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity with a similar-sized battery energy storage system (BESS).

It was approved by Rushcliffe Borough Council earlier this week after modifications were made to the project’s access routes following consultation with the local community.

Ridge Clean Energy said the project would help enhance the environment around the site, with a headline pledge to achieve a 75% net gain in local biodiversity. The developer said this would be achieved through various measures such as planting wildflower meadows and species-rich grassland between the rows of PV panels.

Once up and running, Ridge Clean Energy said the project would also generate revenue for a community benefit fund, worth an estimated £29,450 annually over its 40-year lifespan for local net zero-related and other community projects.

Marjorie Glasgow, co-founder and CEO of Ridge Clean Energy, said: “We are delighted that Rushcliffe Borough Council have granted permission for Fair Oaks REP. As a company we aim to set a new standard for clean energy projects in the UK, through effective integration of renewable energy, community involvement and environmental protection.”

Ridge Clean Energy has a portfolio of 10 clean energy projects under development in the UK, encompassing solar, storage and wind technologies.