Work set to start on Telford solar farm
Work on a huge solar farm on the edge of Telford which could generate nearly £4.5 million over 25 years is set to begin in the next few days.
Contractors are expected to move on to the site at Wheat Leasows in Hadley this week to start building the commercial-scale 4MW capacity solar farm.
It is hoped energy could be produced from November. It comes as Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet prepares to discuss ways it can make money from the solar farm at a meeting on Thursday.
IZEN energy systems was awarded the contract to build the solar farm earlier this month. More than 15,000 solar panels will be installed and should generate enough energy to power more than 800 homes.
A financial model shows the council expects to make more than £13.6 million over the planned 25-year life time of the farm while more than £9.2 million will be spent, including financing costs – a surplus of £4.41 million.
The money would be poured into services for elderly and young people and the environment, according to council chiefs.
Councillors will look at ideas in a report including pre-registering the scheme with Ofgem to lock in a higher rate of income from the Government. Plans to sell energy made from the farm will also be discussed.
Councillor Bill McClements, the council's cabinet member for finance and enterprise said: "Telford & Wrekin, like all councils, is having its funding cut and the Government is telling us to find ways to generate money, this kind of income will look after quite a number of people – about 40 plus old folk will be looked after a year by the income generated from this."
Councillor Shaun Davies said: "This report marks the next step in building a solar farm in the borough.
"We are getting ever closer to starting work on the solar farm and this report will allow us to start making money from the project from the beginning."
