What happened in the UK
pv magazine reported on July 9, 2026 that the UK government granted planning approval for about 1.2GW of new solar capacity in a five-day period. The approvals cover three large projects in England: One Earth Solar Farm near Lincoln, Peartree Hill Solar Farm in East Yorkshire and Dean Moor Solar Farm in West Cumbria. The report also noted that all three are expected to include co-located battery energy storage systems. Source: pv magazine.
Why approval is only the start
Planning consent is not the end of technical risk. Utility projects still need layout finalization, foundation testing, module confirmation, grid interface work, drainage review and construction sequencing. Mounting suppliers become more useful when they can help translate the approved project envelope into buildable structure assumptions.
Ground conditions remain a key input
UK projects often need careful review of soil, water management and agricultural land interface. Driven pile foundations can be efficient where geotechnical results support them, but they are not a universal answer. Ground screws, concrete foundations or adjusted post lengths may be needed where pull-out resistance, refusal risk, slope or environmental constraints change the foundation logic.
Storage changes site coordination
Co-located BESS does not usually change every PV table, but it can affect site circulation, cable routes, fire access, security fencing and equipment pads. Those items influence how the PV mounting layout is coordinated. Developers should align structure design, access lanes and electrical routes early so the mounting package does not conflict with storage and substation areas later.
Apex product paths to review
For UK-style utility projects, review solar ground mounting systems and the single-axis solar tracker where yield strategy and site geometry justify tracking. The utility-scale application guide can help buyers prepare the information Apex needs before comparing fixed-tilt, tracker, driven pile and ground screw options.
What to send before quotation
For a large approved solar project, send the site location, planning layout if available, module datasheet, geotechnical status, topographic survey, wind and snow basis, corrosion category, row spacing target, storage interface constraints and construction schedule. Apex can then support a practical mounting review instead of a generic price-only comparison.
Prepare your project for Apex review
Send the project location, module datasheet, layout drawing, wind and snow basis, and roof or foundation condition for faster system selection.
Request Project Review