The Westmill Solar Farm was built in just eight weeks by contractor Blue Energy. It includes 23,000 solar panels mounted on three metre platforms and was completed just in time to beat the change in feed-in tariffs (FIT) due to come in next month.
German company Abakus supplied the PV modules, which have a combined maximum capacity of 4.98 MW.
“We have worked successfully with several other partners around the clock to finish this unique solar project, before the government’s deadline puts an end to projects of this scale,” said Chris Dean, managing director of Blue Energy. “The installation offsets 3,000 tons of carbon dioxide, it will provide power for a minimum of 25 years and from an aesthetic point of view, it is quite a sight to behold.”
The new plant will become one of the UK’s largest community co-operative schemes later this year allowing local residents to become shareholders in the project.
It follows a similar scheme organised for the adjacent Westmill Wind Farm in 2007 where 2,500 residents raised £5 million to build the locally-owned turbines.
A share offer will be launched in October through Westmill Solar Co-operative allowing investors to take a stake of between £250 and £20,000 with a forecast average return of ten per cent over 25 years.
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