DESNZ has announced a development consent order for Springwell Solar Farm in the UK
At 800 MW planned capacity, it will be the largest solar project in the country, accompanied by a BESS
The project located in Lincolnshire is scheduled to be grid-connected by 2029
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in the UK has approved what it says will be the largest solar power generation farm in the country, with an installed capacity of 800 MW. Following the granting of the Development Consent Order (DCO) by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Springwell Solar Farm can now enter construction.
The Springwell Solar Farm is being jointly developed by EDF power solutions and Luminous Energy. It is located between Sleaford and Lincoln in Lincolnshire. The facility is expected to be accompanied by a battery energy storage system (BESS) of undisclosed capacity.
Once commercial operations commence, the project will power more than 180,000 homes annually, according to the project developers.
As a facility with more than 50 MW of electricity generation capacity, the project qualifies as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). It is scheduled to begin exporting electricity to the National Grid from 2029 under a grid connection agreement.
The government counts this in its list of lessons learned from the conflict in the Middle East, while accelerating efforts to ensure stable electricity prices and energy self-sufficiency via renewables.
UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks said, “It is crucial we learn the lessons of the conflict in the Middle East – solar is one of the cheapest forms of power available and is how we get off the rollercoaster of international fossil fuel markets and secure our own energy independence.”
The approval is part of the UK’s wider push to scale up clean energy capacity, with a growing focus on solar as costs decline. Other recent steps include fast-tracking plug-in solar systems, a renewable energy auction scheduled for July 2026, and the implementation of the Future Homes Standard (see UK To Ensure Plug-In Solar Panels In Shops ‘Within Months').
“We are driving further and faster for clean homegrown power that we control to protect the British people and bring down bills for good,” added Shanks.
The Springwell Solar Farm may not hold the ‘largest’ tag for long since an 840 MW solar farm is already in the pipeline. The Photovolt Development Partners (PVDP) developed project in Oxfordshire, England, is waiting for approval for its £800 million Botley West Solar Farm.
It is currently facing opposition from the locals who fear loss of natural space and impact on the wildlife due to the project of this scale. The government plans to make a decision on the Botley West Solar Farm by September 10, 2026, according to Euronews.
Nevertheless, large-scale solar PV projects are mushrooming across Europe now. Last month, GOLDBECK SOLAR announced securing an EPC contract for the Sidłowo-Kikowo-Dobrowo Solar Project with 722 MW capacity, comprising 3 facilities. SUNfarming is also building a 753 MW project, saying it will be one of the largest agrivoltaic facilities in Europe on completion (see With 722 MW, Poland To Host Europe’s ‘Largest’ Solar Farm).
Currently, the largest operational solar power plant in Europe has a capacity of 605 MW and is located in Germany (see Europe’s ‘Largest’ Solar Park Commissioned In Germany).
