Project info
Scurf Dyke Solar Limited has built an 80 MWp/49.9 MW AC export solar farm that is co-located with an 8 MW/16 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) on land east of Hutton Cranswick, Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
The solar farm will produce enough electricity to power approximately 21,000 households per year*. Incorporating BESS facilities with Solar PV is a significant upgrade to regular solar farms. The BESS can absorb excess electricity from the solar farm and then release it when the national grid requires power. BESS facilities are essential to achieve the UK's goal of net-zero carbon by 2050 and ensure homes and businesses can be powered by renewable energy, even when the sun isn’t shining, and the wind isn’t blowing.
About Scurf Dyke Solar Limited
Scurf Dyke Solar Limited was a special purpose vehicle (SPV) wholly owned by BayWa r.e UK limited, which forms part of the wider BayWa r.e global business. The SPV was sold to re:cap global investors in December 2022 and renamed FP Lux Scurf Dyke Solar Limited.
- Location
The co-located site is located over several flat agricultural fields 2km south of the Skerne Wetlands. It connects to the grid via an existing 132kV overhead line that crosses the site.
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Land Use
The site approximately covers 99 hectares of Grade 3b (moderate quality) agricultural land and may be used by grazing livestock when the Solar PV & BESS are operational. After a 40 year period, the project will be decommissioned and the land reverted back to its original state.
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Ecology
Ecological surveys have been undertaken on the site to identify wildlife habitats to be considered in the development, construction and operational stages.
Several measures will be implemented to preserve and maintain the surrounding trees, hedgerows and aquatic habitats that provide refuge to species including barn owls, bats, badgers and hedgehogs. These include installation of bird and bat boxes across the site in addition to the several hedgehog houses placed on the grassland boundaries.
An ecologist approved Landscaping Ecological Management Plan (LEMP) will be followed for full details and frequency of ecological maintenance during the operational phase of the project.
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Landscape and Visual
We have carefully considered views from both public locations and private properties. In order to reduce the visual impact, the solar arrays reach a maximum height of 2.5m, which is equivalent or lower than surrounding trees and hedgerows.
As part of the LEMP, some measures to mitigate landscape and visual impact include:
- Retention, protection & enhancement of existing trees and hedgerows
- Gaps within existing hedgerows infilled with suitable native hedgerow species
- Enhancement of field margins through species rich neutral grassland
Site overview
An overview of the site with proposed landscape and ecological enhancements is seen below:
Construction
Construction started in December 2022 and the solar farm was completed in August 2023. The substation connecting the site to the grid was completed in December 2023 and energized in February 2024.
Construction of the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) commenced in February 2024 and was completed in July 2024. Construction traffic was managed throughout to minimise disruption to the surrounding areas.
The below image shows various site infrastructure including solar farm, battery, substation and connection of the overhead line.
Operations
The solar farm commenced operation in May 2024 and the BESS started trading in January 2025, now providing green electricity to the local grid and dispatching electricity imports and exports as and when they are needed via the BESS.
The below image shows the BESS in the foreground, showing the 8 battery containers and 2 power conversion skids (PCS) that convert DC current to AC current and step up to voltage to be exported into the grid. Part of the solar farm is seen in the background.
Benefits of Scurf Dyke
There are several benefits that emerge from the project:
- Clean electricity that can power up approximately 21,000 UK households per year*
- Savings of approximately 22,000 tonnes of CO2 per year**, equivalent to up to 12,000 yearly passenger vehicle emissions***
- Contribution to construction of an extensive bicycle lane network for nearby Hutton Cranswick
*based on average UK consumption of 3700kWh per annum
**based on 2021 average UK grid carbon intensity minus solar PV carbon intensity (265 – 10gCO2/kWh = 255gCO2/kWh)
***average car in UK drives 7,600 miles per year and CO2 emissions per mile 221.4g/mi, releasing 1.682 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year
