30,000 panels and 45 acres: The first subsidy-free solar farm opens in the UK
Site will produce enough power for 2,500 homes and save nearly 4,500 tonnes of carbon
By Anmar Frangoul
The U.K.’s first subsidy-free solar farm, a 45-acre facility made up of more than 30,000 solar panels, has opened.
The Clayhill solar farm, near Flitwick, Bedfordshire, is also home to five battery storage units and was officially opened by Climate Change Minister Claire Perry.
Anesco, the energy provider that built the 10 megawatt site, said it would produce enough electricity for around 2,500 homes, saving 4,452 tonnes of carbon.
Downing Street said the farm is the first in the U.K. to be constructed and operated without government subsidy, after the price of solar panels had dropped by two-thirds since 2010.
“The cost of solar panels and batteries has fallen dramatically over the past few years, and this first subsidy-free development at Clayhill is a significant moment for clean energy in the U.K.,” Perry said Tuesday. “Solar panels already provide enough electricity to power 2.7 million homes, with 99 per cent of that capacity installed since 2010.”