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Three giant solar farms which could cover a total of 96 acres of farmland and power 4,000 homes have won approval from planners despite fierce opposition from locals.
Two schemes are for fields near the M5 near Bridgwater and a third is near the former Royal Ordnance Factory at Puriton.
Parish councils in all three locations opposed them, with Bridgwater parish council arguing that the glint from the sun shining off the photovoltaic panels would be seen from the Quantocks, and Puriton parish council saying the scheme in its area would be seen from the Polden Hills.
Council officials denied that any of the "farms" would be a blot on the landscape, or in the case of one nearest the M5, distract drivers. Sensitive screening with hedges and trees would overcome any problems they said.
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Sedgemoor District Council's Development Control Committee approved the schemes yesterday, with conditions. Two must cease by 2046 and one by 2036, and return the land to its original state then, or before if they finish earlier. All are subject to landscaping conditions.
As Britain fights to cut carbon emissions and save energy such schemes are likely to become more common. But for some they are incompatible with the countryside. The Campaign for Rural England has said they should be on urban sites not in rural settings and the parish councils argued that they would be disruptive to wildlife. Puriton parish council said it supports renewables but the application was in the wrong location.
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Meanwhile, Government plans for a green investment bank, which could be based in Bristol, could ensure an extra £15 billion of private investment in green infrastructure projects by 2015, Business Secretary Vince Cable told the Commons yesterday.
He unveiled further detail of the world's first public bank dedicated to the green economy.
Mr Cable told MPs that setting up the bank, which will start to lend money to areas such as offshore wind power from next year, was a "major undertaking".
With an initial capitalisation of £3 billion, the bank will be able to "tackle risks which the private sector cannot adequately finance".
He said: "In this way, the bank will mobilise projects significantly in excess of the Government's contribution. We estimate that by the end of this parliament the GIB could mobilise an extra £15 billion of private investment.
"We do not envisage that this level of activity will require a large institution – 50 to 100 professional staff during this parliament. Proposals have been made to locate the headquarters in, among others, London, Edinburgh and Bristol and a decision will be taken in due course."
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Source: This is Somerset