Econergy is developing a proposal for a solar farm and BESS on Hayton House Farm to the north east of Aberford.
The proposal would generate up to 49.9 MW of clean, renewable energy to help in the fight against climate change and support energy security. The point of connection with the Northern Power Grid is via underground cables and the installation of new pylons within the Site boundary to connect to the local grid network.
The project would also include a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), with a capacity of up to 49.9 MW, to store energy and release it to the grid when it is needed the most.
Econergy is an Independent Power Producer that builds, owns, and operates renewable energy projects across Europe. Econergy is powering the world’s future energy needs with world-leading renewable energy plants optimized to provide the consistent supply of sustainable energy with significant positive environmental impact.
About Econergy.
The Proposed Development is for a solar farm and co-located BESS with associated infrastructure and equipment including DNO substation, communications masts, fencing, security cameras, cabling and access tracks. SuDS provisions, ecological and landscape mitigation have been integrated into the designs as well as proposals that will achieve substantial biodiversity net gain.
The solar photovoltaic array would have a capacity up to 49.9 MW, and the battery energy storage system (BESS) would have a capacity up to 49.9 MW. The site would be located on 94 hectares of land approximately 1.2 km to the north east of Aberford.
The Project.
Once constructed, Hayton House Energy would produce enough clean, renewable energy to power 16,626 homes per year.
Reducing carbon emissions by 16,855 tonnes per year to help fight climate change.
The site is currently agricultural land with limited ecological value. Econergy is committed to providing a range of wildlife enhancements to ensure a biodiversity gain for key species and habitats.
Econergy is committed to using local suppliers whenever possible, creating new jobs throughout the construction and operational stages of the project.
Site Layout Plan.
Community Engagement.
Our community consultation period was from Tuesday 30 August to Sunday 25 September 2022. During this period, we were actively seeking feedback from the public to help guide and develop our proposals.
On 5 September, we hosted a webinar so that the public could ask questions and learn more about the proposal. To view the recording play the video on the right.
On 6 September, we held a public information event at Saxton Village Hall from 2 – 6 pm so that members of the public could learn more about the proposal from the project team.
On 9 September, we held another public information event at Aberford Village Hall from 11 – 3 pm so that members of the public could learn more about the proposal from the project team.
Since the close of community consultation in September 2022, Econergy has updated the proposals for Exton Energy in response to feedback received and further design work.
Where we are now.
Further to submitting our application for Hayton Solar, it has been validated by North Yorkshire Council. The application reference number is ZG2025/0427/EIA, and full details of our submission are available to view on the Council’s planning portal linked here.
FAQs.
General
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Econergy is developing a proposal for a solar farm and battery storage facility on Hayton House farm. The solar photovoltaic array would have a capacity up to 49.9 MW, and the battery energy storage system (BESS) would have a capacity up to 49.9 MW. The site would be located on 94 hectares of land approximately 1.2 km to the north east of Aberford.
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Hayton Energy is being developed by Econergy, an Independent Power Producer. Econergy has a proven track record of building, owning, and operating renewable energy projects across Europe. It is currently developing 224 projects that would generate a total of 7.2 GW of renewable energy in 6 countries around the world. Econergy is powering the world’s future energy needs with world-leading renewable energy plants optimised to provide a consistent supply of sustainable energy with significant positive environmental impact.
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Clean Power 2030 Action Plan (December 2024): In December 2024 the Government published the ‘Clean Power 2030 Action Plan: A new era of clean electricity’ which outlines how the Government’s target of ensuring that by 2030, Great Britain will produce at least as much power as it consumes in total over the year through clean energy sources in order to drastically reduce fossil fuel dependency in the strive for reaching net zero by 2050.
North Yorkshire Climate Change Strategy 2023-2030: In 2023 NYC published their Climate Change Strategy which sets out how the Council intends to respond to the climate emergency with three main targets: a) reducing greenhouse gas emissions, b) preparing for the changing climate and c) supporting nature to thrive. It further states that they will work with partners to achieve a carbon negative region by 2040. To meet this ambitious target, it is clear that renewable energy projects will be key and therefore applications such as that put forward on this occasion will have to be supported.
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The site was selected because of its proximity to a grid connection and access to sunlight, with natural screening.
Environment
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Renewable technologies, such as solar, reduce the levels of carbon dioxide that are being emitted into the atmosphere by replacing electricity generation from fossil fuels. With a generating capacity of 49.9 MW, Hayton House Energy would save a total of approximately 16,855 tonnes of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere each year.
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Solar farms can deliver major benefits to the environment, in addition to cutting carbon emissions. Because the panels are set on posts with minimal disturbance to the ground, the rest of the land is available to support new plant and animal life, often resulting in a significant increase in biodiversity. This could include establishing wildflower meadows that are habitats for pollinators and birds, promoting wetland habitats to reduce flood risk and support aquatic life, or restoring hedgerows and native species. Econergy designs projects in response to local feedback and would like to hear from the local community about its ideas for environmental enhancements, including suggestions for local plant species.
Furthermore, the site will be screened under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations to determine if it is considered to trigger the need for a full environmental assessment as part of the planning application. Regardless of the outcome of the screening process, a wide range of environmental studies will be undertaken to assess impacts on traffic impacts, landscape, flood, and plants and wildlife. The results of these studies will be made available.
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Not at all. Whilst the solar farm is operational, the soil would be left to recover so that it would be higher quality at the end of the life of the solar panels. Furthermore, the land between the solar panels can be used for grazing or hosting beehives, to support agriculture and produce renewable energy at the same time.
Community
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Hayton Energy will generate clean, renewable energy which not only reduces carbon emissions to fight the threat of climate change, but also reduces other types of air pollution caused by conventional energy production.
Econergy is committed to using local suppliers whenever possible, creating new jobs during construction and throughout operation.
Econergy is also committed to increasing biodiversity and improving the environment through additional wildlife enhancements at the Hayton Energy site. We would like to hear from the local community about these ideas to determine how the project could be designed to maximise the positive impacts for both the environment and the local community.
A Community Benefit Fund, to be determined and administered by the Local Planning Authority, includes an agreement to provide Aberford School with equipment and/or funding.
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Econergy will be submitting a full planning application for Hayton House Energy to Selby District Council, which is the local planning authority for the project.
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Yes! Econergy is committed to public rights of way open for the public. There may be temporary diversions during the construction period for safety reasons. We are exploring opportunities to help enrich the rights of way with benches, educational boards, and additional plantings and would like to hear public feedback about these options.
Technical
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The area of the proposed site for Hayton House Energy is approximately 94 hectares.
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The solar farm is sensitively sited by making best use of natural landscape features. The design of the site will evolve in response to consultation feedback, which may help to shape where the solar panels go.
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The number of panels depends on a variety of factors such as the capacity of each panel, and the design of the arrays. This will be determined at the pre-construction phase of the project, if planning permission is granted and will also be dependent on the type of panels and supporting infrastructure that are commercially available at the time of construction.
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The height of the arrays is not currently known and will be subject to the outcome of ongoing environmental investigations. Currently, we are proposing the maximum height will not exceed 3 metres.
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The project will make use of a nearby grid access point, providing electricity into the grid for use by local homes and businesses.
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The projects are proposed to connect to the local network via underground cables.
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The project is a temporary installation, it is envisaged that the operational lifespan of the project will be approximately 40 years.
Safety
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Yes – BESS is a safe and effective technology that is utilised effectively throughout the UK and around the world.
Lithium-ion batteries have been manufactured and utilised since the 1990s. Since then, there has been over 2GW of stationary battery storage deployed and safely operating in the UK, and over 25GW of battery storage in electric vehicles
Today’s storage systems feature smart battery management systems which will immediately shut off the system when a fault is detected. The housings for the batteries have built-in fire suppression and advanced fire and gas detection systems.
There are global standards for battery storage systems safety, such as UL9540 which all of our battery storage systems will be certified to, and design standards such as NFPA 855 which all of our systems will meet
On all of our sites, we engage with the local fire department and hold workshops to help familiarise them with the technology.
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Solar panels and the associated electrical and energy storage infrastructure are not known to pose any health risks to those living in close proximity to the site. Like most electrical equipment, including some found in domestic households, the required infrastructure at Hayton Energy will emit very low electromagnetic frequency. The primary component to emit EMF is the inverter. All inverters are tested and have to be compliant with IEC 55011 and IEC 61000-6-2 before they can be used.
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The site will be secured with fencing around the perimeter. Whilst some of the details have not been determined at this point in the design stage, it will likely be what is known as “deer fencing”, which consists of wooden posts and wire mesh, approximately 2m tall. This type of fencing is commonly used because it has a minimal visual impact. We intend to include “mammal gates” within the fence to allow small animals to pass freely across the site. There would also be a network of CCTV cameras located on the fencing approximately every 50 m, positioned in order to secure the site but avoid impacting neighbouring properties. There will not be any barbed wire or lighting.
Traffic and Noise
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Access to the site will be from South Approach, which provides access to Main Street, and the A64 and A1(M), and existing agricultural tracks will be used across the site where possible.
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We are currently studying the potential impact on traffic and will release a transport report to outline the anticipated impact on local traffic during construction and ongoing operations.
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In general, solar farms are very quiet. Despite its low impact, our proposals will include measures to mitigate any noise impact, such as the planting of trees and hedgerows to act as a natural barrier between the facility and the surrounding area and locating panels away from local residences.
Landscape and Visual
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This location was selected in part because it benefits from natural landscaping.
As part of the planning process, a Landscape and Visual Appraisal will be undertaken and explained in accordance with a methodology compliant with Landscape Institute and Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment Guidelines.
Throughout the consultation process we will welcome feedback on the viewpoints and any mitigation including landscaping and the positioning of panels.
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Solar panels are designed to absorb light and not to reflect it. They pose little risk of glint or glare. Testament to this fact is the installation of solar panels at Gatwick Airport, alongside major roads and other sensitive assets. However, we will be conducting a Glint and Glare Assessment to ensure there are no significant impacts.
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Econergy is proposing to use solar panels that track the sun throughout the day. This technology increases the efficiency of the panels so that they can collect more energy. A single row of panels would be affixed to a rail and secured into the ground with posts. A tracking mechanism would slowly tilt the panels throughout the day to track the sun. At their highest point, the panels would be approximately 3m tall, and during the middle of the day when they are flat, they would be approximately 2m tall. The panels are designed to absorb as much light as possible, using a high transparency solar glass that is dark grey/blue in colour with an anti-reflective coating to minimise glint and glare.
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Hayton Energy will create both direct and indirect permanent jobs throughout construction and operation. Contract opportunities may be indirectly created through the land management requirements and site maintenance activities such as cleaning of panels and maintenance of electrical equipment. Econergy is committed to using local suppliers wherever possible.
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Solar power is now one of the most cost-effective sources of electricity generation in the UK. The Government has decided that subsidies should no longer play any role in solar development, which is good news for the consumer. This means that Hayton Energy will not receive any government funding, and instead, private sector investment can provide clean renewable energy and new innovative technologies at no additional costs to the consumer. Furthermore, as conventional forms of energy are becoming increasingly volatile, locally-generated renewable energy offers a more stable and reliable source of energy.