Project Fortress (formerly Cleve Hill Solar Farm) is a photovoltaic power station under construction on the Graveney marshes between Faversham and Whitstable, Kent in the UK.[1]
Once operational, it will be the largest solar farm in the UK, generating 373 MW of electricity from of vertical solar panels and will also include 700 MWh of battery storage.[2] [3] Because of its size, it is a nationally significant infrastructure project so outside the standard local planning procedure.
Electricity will be exported from the project via the 400 kV National Grid substation at Cleve Hill, constructed to serve the London Array offshore wind farm that lies to the north. Here, a battery array will be placed, that will charge from the sunlight during the day and release the energy at night when it is needed.[4]
The solar farm was initially developed in partnership by Hive Energy and Wirsol Energy Ltd under the name Cleve Hill Solar Farm. It was acquired by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners in October 2021 and renamed Project Fortress. [5] [6] The of Grade 3b agricultural land will be covered by the east-west facing solar photovoltaic panels. [7]
The planning process faced opposition by residents and environmental groups on the grounds of loss of biodiversity resulting from covering large areas with PV panels, and safety, where concerns were raised about a possible fire and explosion of the battery blocks.[8] [9]
Construction on the project started in April 2023.[3]