Eco-warrior King Charles III is planning to build a huge solar farm on his Royal Sandringham estate.
The monarch has applied for planning permission to install around 2,000 solar panels on horse grazing paddocks to provide zero-carbon energy for the 20,000-acre estate.
Plans submitted to King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Council said the solar farm has been designed to “meet the current and anticipated future electricity demands of the Sandringham Estate”.
It comes after solar panels were fitted to the roof of Sandringham House two years ago.
The solar panels, which will be placed on 2.3 hectares of land, will provide a combined total of 2.1 MW of energy, which will be used by the estate and a small amount of additional capacity will also be exported to the grid.
King Charles plans to build a huge solar farm in a field (circled) at his Royal Sandringham estate
The monarch has applied for planning permission to install around 2,000 solar panels on horse grazing paddocks to provide zero-carbon energy for the 20,000-acre estate.
Plans submitted to King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Council said the solar farm has been designed to “meet the current and anticipated future electricity demands of the Sandringham Estate”.
The facility, which will mainly supply Sandringham House, the Visitor Center and the Sawmill, is expected to “have an operational life of 40 years” and the countryside will then be returned to horse grazing.
The application states that the solar system has been specified to provide 1.9 MW per year to “meet the majority of the state’s electricity demand.”
It adds: ‘Power will be delivered from the electrical system to the estate’s three main energy consumers (sawmill, visitor center and house) using existing infrastructure which, as part of the project, will be upgraded/adapted as required.
“The proposed development forms part of the State’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and the promotion of environmental practices and follows the installation of a small solar panel on the roof of Sandringham House in 2022.”
The site, which is currently used as a grazing meadow, is covered in grass and surrounded by tall trees along two of its boundaries, which would hide the facility from the 500,000 tourists who visit the farm each year.
Solar panels were already installed on the roof of Sandringham House two years ago
The solar panels, which will be placed on 2.3 hectares of land, will provide a combined total of 2.1 MW of energy, which will be used by the estate and a small amount of additional capacity will also be exported to the grid.
It is located to the north of Sandringham House on “operational” land within the estate and bounded by the working yard and Royal Stud.
The application said: “The location of the proposed panels is visually contained by existing development and mature vegetation, and the development would not result in the loss of any productive agricultural land.”
It adds: The proposed package would help address the State’s energy needs in a sustainable and carbon-neutral manner.
“The location is well protected within the local and wider landscape but still allows for optimal panel orientation due to the more open southern boundary.”
The solar panels will be made of tempered glass and mounted on a steel structure placed at a 25-degree angle and facing south. The application states that the highest part of the panel would not exceed 3.1 meters.
The solar farm would also include a hybrid energy system unit, which would be located on the west side of the site and would be colored green to match the color of the nearby work sheds.
The application suggests the solar park would add value to the estate as a popular tourist destination, adding: “The well-protected nature of the site and the modest scale of the development means that the majority of these visitors would be unaware of the proposed solar panel.” .
“However, the estate may wish to publicize its journey away from carbon-based energy production and in that regard the proposed solar development would add further value to the estate as a tourist destination.”
MailOnline has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.