THINGS are heating up in Central Fife as plans to create an eco-friendly energy farm are revealed.

Greentech, one of Europe’s leading solar companies, have outlined their plans to build a huge solar farm between Crossgates and Aberdour.

Billsbrae Solar Farm would be built on the 30 hectares of land located just three kilometres away from each of the villages next to the unused Goat Quarry, off Mill Farm Road.

James Smith, development manager for Billsbrae Solar Farm, said: “We have recently submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to Fife Council to start a formal consultation process on our plans and we plan to hold exhibitions in Aberdour and Crossgates in the coming months before a possible planning application later this year.

“We look forward to meeting local residents and we appreciate we are at the start of the pre-planning process and that local communities will have a number of questions on the plans.”

The development would be one of the company’s first projects in Scotland and would see 30 megawatts of solar panels, expected to generate around 2,900 megawatt hours of renewable energy a year.

Panels would run in rows from east to west at a 20-degree incline facing south. Panels would have a maximum height of three metres and will be raised off of the ground by 0.8m with a space of 4.5m between each row.

This land, between the rows and under the panels, can be used for sheep-grazing and greentech will be creating an Active Habitat Management Plan to look at biodiversity in planting and management of this space.

James continued: “This project can contribute renewable energy for almost 8,000 homes, around five per cent of all homes in Fife, and can make an important contribution to Fife Council and the Scottish Government’s net-zero emission targets.”

Greentech is also eager to support community benefit with this project, for example, supporting apprenticeship schemes, site biodiversity, regular visits for schools and colleges and making sure that local supply chain opportunities stay in the area where possible.

The company will be setting up public exhibition events in Aberdour and Crossgates for late-September to early October this year.

In the meantime, Greentech have set up a website to provide more information for locals.