EcoPower Suffolk will deliver a solar farm and BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) with an anticipated capacity of around 250 megawatts (MW).
The proposed development is located in Mid Suffolk and is made up of five areas of land:
- south and east of Stuston
- north and east of Eye
- north of Gislingham
- north of Occold
- between Thrandeston and Mellis.
Together, these areas cover approximately 900 hectares. The different areas will be linked by underground cables.
What we’ve changed
Since our first consultation, we have carefully considered the feedback received and used it to inform the ongoing development of our proposals. We have:
- expanded the site area to enable greater separation from homes and more space for landscaping and environmental mitigation
- refined the layout to reduce impacts, with improved screening and better positioning of panels and infrastructure
- extended the programme to enable more time for surveys, environmental assessments and community engagement
- defined cable corridors, following detailed design work and engagement with landowners.
We are now in the process of analysing the feedback received during our summer 2026 consultation. This feedback will help shape the final design before we submit an application for development consent.
More detailed information can be found in our consultation materials, available in our Document Library.
EcoPower Suffolk will:
Reduce carbon emissions and contribute to Net Zero, Clean Power 2030 and national energy security
Be a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) which would generate enough clean, renewable energy to power 75,000 homes per year
Commit to a range of wildlife enhancements to ensure biodiversity net gain for key species and habitats
Be shaped by engagement with local communities
Support the local community via a community benefit fund
Why is EcoPower Suffolk needed?
The way we consume energy is already changing. The move towards renewables and the transition away from fossil fuels is an environmental and economic necessity.
To meet the government’s net-zero and climate change targets as set out in Make Britain a clean energy superpower (2024), it is essential to boost the UK’s solar energy generation. We need to get large amounts of renewable technology generated electricity in the system to provide a consistent supply of clean, renewable energy that will contribute towards our energy security and combat climate change.
This is why EcoPower Suffolk is so important. If approved, it has the potential to generate clean, renewable electricity from solar to power around 75,000 homes. The battery energy storage system will store surplus energy and deploy it to the national grid as it is needed. The batteries charge at off peak times and supply electricity to the distribution network at times of peak energy demand. The electricity storage provided by projects like EcoPower Suffolk help reduce the costs of the electricity system and increase system reliability by storing the energy generated by renewable sources.
Timeline
Map
ECOPOWER SUFFOLK
The above map is for indicative purposes only. Our proposals will be updated for the project’s statutory consultation, to be held in summer 2026
Renewable energy infrastructure is not being proposed to be developed across the full extent of the land parcels in the above map. As our consultation feedback develops, we will use this, alongside our technical assessments, to shape our detailed design proposals. The land parcels currently under consideration would include planting areas for visual screening, buffer distances from sensitive receptors and areas for ecological enhancement, amongst other mitigation measures.
Environmental survey and technical assessment work is being undertaken to identify areas within the energy farm that will be proposed for renewable energy infrastructure and areas that will be used for environmental mitigations and enhancements where practicable. The Project will be arranged within the existing field boundaries and the planting of trees and hedgerows will strengthen natural boundaries to provide habitats for local wildlife.
Access to existing public rights of way will be maintained. Feedback received during consultation will help identify the opportunity for mitigation and enhancements for public rights of way where practicable. This will help ensure that communities can continue to access and enjoy the local environment and its amenities.
Our appointed ecology team is currently carrying out comprehensive habitat and species surveys to identify any potential biodiversity impacts of the Project. These surveys include, but are not limited to, local ecology, birds, bats, reptiles, amphibians, and badgers.
Research has shown that ground-mounted solar projects provide major environmental benefits. They provide renewable, low-carbon energy that is good for the planet, while also directly improving local biodiversity by creating new habitats for wildlife and enabling plant life to grow around the panels over time. This compares to the impact of harvesting crops yearly on agricultural land that has low ecological value.
The Project will be designed to minimise impact on ecological features through their retention and enhancement. New planting would support a diverse range of critical invertebrate species and encourage new species to colonise the margins of the site.
There are potential further opportunities for habitat creation though the implementation of additional wildlife corridors and the installation of bat and bird nesting boxes, hibernacula, woodpiles, and beehives within the margins of the site.
As part of a cultural heritage assessment, we are undertaking archaeological surveys for the Project, which will be informed by local records and the expertise of the local Council.
This will provide the information we need to assess if there are any impacts, influence the design of the solar farm and identify an appropriate mitigation strategy if and where required.