Developers propose transformative project that could set new standard: 'A model for every rural town or village to follow'

British cooperative Energise Sussex Coast is planning to install a large solar power array in the southern village of Crowhurst, according to the BBC. 

The 6-megawatt installation is planned for a 12-hectare farm and will be supplemented with biodiversity support by way of new hedgerows and wildflower meadows. The energy produced there should be enough to power 2,500 homes per year. The excess energy will be sold to the wider grid, with the profits going into a Community Benefit Fund managed by a local nonprofit.

"Crowhurst residents have been pioneering sustainable futures for many years and we want to support this dynamic local group by creating the kind of nature reserve and solar park that could be a model for every rural town or village to follow," an ESC spokesperson said, per the BBC. 

Solar power is a vital piece of the electrical grid's evolution. Utility scale solar is the cheapest of any option available, making it an economic choice before anything else. Turning on solar also means turning off dirty fuels. In the case of Crowhurst, 80% of its 335 homes use oil heating. Switching to electric heat pumps will mean lower home energy pollution and also less localized pollution, which causes significant health issues. 

ESC estimates it could equip 200 homes in the area with insulation upgrades for £750,000 while installing air-source heat pumps for £3.4 million. 

Plans have been submitted to the Rother District Council, and ESC is hopeful about the long-term benefits of the solar farm. 

"The kind of investment needed to make these beautiful Sussex cottages warm, dry, healthy and cheap to heat is huge, but a discreet solar project like this can fund it," according to ESC, per the BBC. "The project will also provide safe wildlife habitats; jobs for local people; and clean and secure energy for homes, the railways and local businesses."

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