This project marks UK’s first and the world’s largest community owned solar farm comprising of over 20,000 solar PV panels spread across 30a.
The 5MW solar farm produced 4,900MWh of energy in 2011, enough to power 1500 houses and displacing 2,000t of CO2 emissions.
Westmill Solar Co-operative founder director Adam Twine said that the deal is a team effort against a backdrop of shifting government policies and tight timescales.
"Westmill represents the best of what low carbon investment and renewable energy can offer and hopefully will inspire others to realise that when we get together we can make change happen and can engage positively with the threat of climate change," Twine added.
Westmill Solar Co-operative chairman Philip Wolfe further stated, "As the success of Westmill shows, solar energy enables ordinary people to produce clean power, not only on their roof tops, but also at utility scale."
