North Ray Solar Farm: FAQs

We’re proposing a new grid-connected solar farm near the villages of Ludborough, Fulstow and North Thoresby in East Lindsey.

Once operational, North Ray could generate enough clean electricity to power approximately a third of East Lindsey*, avoiding over 32,000 tonnes of CO₂e annually**. The proposals are being developed with a strong focus on ensuring they are sensitive to the local area and environment.

*Presuming a 15% capacity/load factor across a single year, based upon average domestic electricity consumption per home (temperature corrected) as per Energy Consumption in the UK (published September 2024, Table C9 of ECUK: Consumption data tables).

**This assumes no emissions associated with the solar PV generation.

A viable solar site needs a feasible grid connection, appropriate land quality, and the potential to minimise effects on neighbours. North Ray is being progressed because a connection to National Grid at Wold Newton substation has been agreed with National Grid.

We plan to connect to the Wold Newton substation via an underground cable route. The grid connection will be the subject of separate planning permission, and construction would not begin until all required consents are in place.

Public consultation is planned for October 2025, meanwhile we look to submit a planning application in early 2026. We’ll continue to refine the design in response to survey findings and community feedback.

The Ludborough Solar Farm is only temporary and will be decommissioned and returned to full agricultural land once it’s come to the end of its useful life, in approximately 40 years.

A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) will accompany the planning application, including photomontages from representative viewpoints. The design will incorporate new hedgerows and tree planting to help screen views and enhance local green infrastructure.

The maximum panel height is expected to be around 3m (rear upper edge). The current design anticipates the use of single-axis trackers to improve energy yield by following the sun through the day. Final dimensions would be confirmed following planning consent.

Yes, existing permissive paths and public rights of way (PRoW) will remain. Short, temporary closures or diversions may be required during specific construction activities for safety.

Construction is expected to last approximately 12-18 months. A Transport Assessment and Construction Management Plan (CTMP) will be agreed to minimise impacts, with potential measures including a HGV booking system and avoiding school-time peaks. Site access is proposed via the A18.

The project is exploring a community benefit fund at an indicative £400 per MW (index-linked) per year, with details to be confirmed as the project progresses. For a 98 MW scheme, this would mean around £39,200 per year (before indexation), or approximately £1.18 million over a 30-year operational period. The actual total will increase in line with inflation.

Community benefit funds are a voluntary commitment by the developer to provide long-term, reliable funding for local projects. As seen on other TotalEnergies projects, such as Staveley Solar Farm, these funds have supported initiatives that enhance the local area, economy, society, and environment. At Staveley, for example, the fund has prioritised educational opportunities, skills development, and projects that contribute to social and environmental prosperity.

For North Ray, we are currently consulting on what types of local initiatives the fund could support and how it should be managed to best reflect community priorities. Examples might include:

• Environmental and biodiversity projects, such as new hedgerows, habitat creation, or pollinator-friendly planting
• Grants for community buildings or energy efficiency improvements
• Support for youth, education, or skills programmes
• Road safety measures or improvements to local footpaths and public spaces
• Cultural, heritage, or community events

We are committed to working with the local community and are always open to hearing about projects we can support. If you have any suggestions, please get in touch.

TotalEnergies has been present in the UK for more than 60 years, employing more than 1,600 people across the energy value chain.

We are one of the country’s leading oil and gas operators, operating around 27% of the UK Continental Shelf’s gas production.

We’re diversifying our energy offering to provide low-carbon and renewable energies to our customers, while continuing to provide the oil and gas they need today.

We have invested in several offshore wind developments in the UK which will have the capacity to deliver over 5GW of renewable power, including Seagreen (1.1GW) which became fully operational in 2023. We're also making major investments in solar, developing projects across England and Wales amounting to around 980MW of power.

We are one of the UK’s largest suppliers of gas and electricity to businesses and the public sector. We also offer electric vehicle charging solutions and market petroleum products including lubricants, bitumen and aviation fuel. 

More about TotalEnergies in the UK and across the world

North Ray is funded by private investment by TotalEnergies Renewables UK Ltd, who are the developer of the project and a 100% owned affiliate of the international multi-energy company TotalEnergies. There are no Government or Council subsidies attached to the project.

No. There have been multiple studies which demonstrate that there is no evidence of adverse effects from living close to solar farms.*

*Clean Grid Alliance; WHO Guidance

No, solar panels have no moving parts and emit no sound. Inverters and transformers can emit noise, although this is associated with operational HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) which only operates within certain parameters. The solar inverter-transformer units themselves only have noise potential during daylight hours and because they are dispersed across a large area the noise doesn’t become a concentrated source.

Solar panels are made to absorb light rather than reflect it. In the past, solar farms were associated with a glint and glare effect due to them being made of glass, however, modern solar panels are coated with an anti-glare technology because they generate electricity by absorbing light. Therefore, there is very little glint or glare.

Testament to this fact is the installation of solar panels at Gatwick Airport, alongside major roads and beside sports car raceways such as the ‘Top Gear’ test track. Nevertheless, for full reassurance a Glint & Glare Assessment will be undertaken on the final design to provide evidence and reassurance as to the lack of glint and glare effects on sensitive receptors such as residential living space or road users.

Yes. Solar panels are (almost entirely) comprised of glass, silica, aluminium, steel, copper and plastic, which are recyclable.

Solar farms are classed as temporary structures. A temporary solar development does not permanently change the land use of the site, and in most cases solar sites retain an ongoing agricultural use while the solar array is in place.

Solar farms are only temporary for many reasons. One is that most of the equipment has a limited lifespan and would need to be replaced to maintain output levels. As renewable energy technology is moving so fast, the land required to provide 98 MW of export to the grid will be much less in 30 years than it is now. It would therefore not be sustainable to dedicate more land than needed for longer than needed.

After sustained rest during its use as a solar farm, the improved farmland can be restored to full agricultural use, should the landowner choose to use it as such.

Finally, it is also very important for both developers and local authorities to time-limit consents, to ensure that solar arrays are properly dismantled and recycled, and prevent the land from being re-classified to “brownfield”.

A temporary consent for solar development does not necessarily make a site more likely to be developed in the future – any decisions to change the future use of the site would be taken by the local planning authority in line with existing national and local planning policies.