MoD sets out plans to power Bassingbourn Barracks with new solar farm
The plans have been submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said its plans for a new solar farm at Bassingbourn Barracks would save the same amount of carbon emissions as taking over 650 cars off the road.
Proposals to build the new solar farm at the military base, off the A1198, have been submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council.
The MoD said the energy generated from the solar farm could help it meet 35 per cent of annual energy demand at Bassingbourn Barracks.
It said this will therefore reduce the amount of power the base takes from the National Grid, and improve its energy resilience.
The plans set out the hope to install ground mounted solar panels across 2.98 hectares of land within the military base.
The MoD said the solar farm would have the expected lifetime of around 25 to 35 years.
It explained that over the solar farm’s lifetime it would avoid the base producing carbon emissions to the level it said would be the equivalent of taking 652 cars off the road.
In the plans the MoD also explained that the proposed solar farm would be part of a wider project by the Army to reduce energy consumption and improve energy resilience.
Documents submitted to the district council said: “The MoD has identified a need to deliver photovoltaic arrays across the Army estate.
“This scheme intends to make a significant positive environmental impact and contribute to the reduction of imported energy consumption providing energy resilience.”
The application will be considered by the district council, which will decide whether the solar farm can be built or not.