Vattenfall enters the solar power business

London - Vattenfall, the European energy company, is to start construction of its first UK solar power project later this month.

The Swedish firm expects to generate first power in March this year. And local people will benefit too as Vattenfall will start feasibility studies shortly into installing solar panels on community buildings at no cost to recipients, investments supported by the local councillor.

The 4.99MW Parc Cynog Solar Farm, consented by Carmarthenshire County Council in November 2015, is a pilot project of Vattenfall's co-location concept to maximise the renewables potential of UK Vattenfall sites. The Parc Cynog site already includes 11 wind turbines, in operation for 14 years. Co-locating with solar power makes technical sense as the wind and the sun tend to generate clean power at different times.

Daniel Wills, Vattenfall's Associate Project Manager for the Parc Cynog Solar Farm, said: "In 2002 we installed the first five wind turbines at Parc Cynog, and then in 2008 we added another six. In 2016 we will add a 4.99MW solar farm. Looking back we have made the most of the wind farm site and we are doing that again as a pioneer of co-location with solar power. "And it makes a lot of sense for Vattenfall to maximise the clean energy potential of its sites as we support Wales's drive towards a low carbon and home grown energy supply. Mr Wills added: "We want the community to benefit too, so we're looking to install community solar panels in the area and we have started feasibility work to deliver on that commitment." Carmarthenshire County Councillor Jane Tremlett said: "We are pleased that Vattenfall is continuing to harness the natural resources within Carmarthenshire. The Community Fund provided by the wind farm has allowed our communities to do things we otherwise would not be able to afford. We hope to benefit further by receiving solar panels to generate clean, sustainable energy to supply our community buildings."

Construction on the Castle Lloyd Farm site will start towards the end of January with the build complete by the end of March. The 18,860 panels and associated infrastructure will be delivered by approximately 50 HGV loads from Swansea Docks over the three month construction phase. The solar array and the wind farm will share an existing connection to the grid, a first for Vattenfall. The Parc Cynog Solar Farm will have an installed capacity of 4.99MW and be capable of generating enough power every year to meet the equivalent annual electricity demand of 1,441 Carmarthenshire households. The site is also used for sheep grazing and this can continue unhindered by the array.

Source: IWR Online, 18 Jan 2016