BELECTRIC UK and First Sola have connected the United Kingdom’s largest solar farm to the grid. The 46 MWdc Landmead Solar Farm, in East Hanney near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, will supply around 45 million kWh of clean energy per year.
The Landmead Solar Farm is the latest in a series of joint ventures between BELECTRIC and First Solar. In just three months, BELECTRIC installed more than 483,000 of First Solar’s advanced thin film PV modules on 200 acres of low-quality, Grade 3 agricultural land that has historically failed to drain quickly enough for efficient crop production.
“Thanks to the scale of its contribution towards helping the UK achieve its energy security goals, Landmead is the latest milestone in the country’s renewable energy roadmap,” said Christopher Burghardt, Vice President for Europe at First Solar.
Landmead Solar Farm remains integrated with its surrounding farmland, and 95% of the land remains materially unchanged by the installation of solar modules and infrastructure. The site, therefore, retains the capability for continued agricultural use in the form of grazing sheep.
Landmead will be used for solar power generation, sheep farming and biodiversity enhancement for the next 25 years. After this, the solar modules and infrastructure will be removed and the site will be restored to its pre-existing state.
