We’re pleased to share the latest progress at Whiteborough Solar Park as work continues to move forward. Since the ground dried out in March work has gotten back underway, though the near-universal delays from the wet winter have caused problems for our contractors.
Reused panels delivered
A major milestone has been reached with the collection of our first batch of used solar panels (1008 of them) for the site. These came from a farm in Lincolnshire, where a large solar array was being removed and reinstalled on a warehouse containing a refrigeration and food processing plant. We were fortunate enough to be able to obtain a lot of information on the past performance of the solar array and its condition, which gave us confidence that the panels themselves were essentially sound. Subsequent tests of a sample of panels supported this. The experience of assessing, stacking and transporting these panels could be a whole blog post to themselves (and maybe will!), but we will certainly be writing it all up into a report to share what we’ve learnt more widely.
We were awarded grant money by the Great British Energy Community Energy Fund to carry out some of the work needed to put in place the second-life panels at the site. Reusing solar panels helps reduce waste and supports the project’s wider goals around sustainability and supply chain ethics.
Energisation imminent for Phase 1
The final high voltage works for Phase 1 are now underway, after which the site will start exporting electricity generated by the solar panels to the National Grid. Once operational, Phase 1 is expected to generate 1,683 MWh of clean solar electricity each year, helping to supply renewable energy to the local grid. We’ve signed up with Younity under their innovative new Community Power Club initiative, which matches our generation to demand and is a first step to lowering bills more directly from solar than has ever been possible before.
Next steps
Work is well underway on phase 2 and the planned biodiversity improvements. These include hedge planting around the site in the Autumn, supporting local wildlife by installing bird boxes and holes in the perimeter fence for brown hares and other small mammals. We will also be enhancing the grassland biodiversity by sowing wildflower seed and managing the site accordingly with a mowing and grazing regime. All of these measures are key to helping the solar park integrate into the surrounding landscape.
Join our next project update call
We’ll be hosting a project update Zoom call on 23 June at 12:30pm, the session will provide an overview of current progress and next steps, with an opportunity for questions and discussion. More information about the project is also available here on the website: Whiteborough Solar Park