UK getting new giant solar farm

A new solar power installation has been given planning permission in Leicester, which when constructed, will be the UK's biggest, producing 35 Megawatts in total – this could potentially power over 35,000 homes.

Set to be built on a new World War 2 airfield known as Wymeswold, in Leicestershire, the new installation will be made up of 125,000 panels. However they won't dominate the site as much as you'd think, since they'll be placed between the runways so that the area's driving circuit can still be used.

Wired has it that construction will begin as early as the end of this month, with the facility expected to come online in early 2013. Apparently this quick turn around is because next year the British government plans to cut subsidies for solar power, making their investment far less financially viable.

“We are delighted to be involved in this large, first-of-its-kind project in the UK,” said Ben Guest, managing partner of Hazel Capital, the money behind the project. “We believe that larger industrial sites make great locations for solar projects going forward in the UK.”

Hazel Capital also plans to build solar arrays in Ellough and Stradishall in Suffolk, each site delivering a further 30MW of power to the local community.

KitGuru Says: Baby steps people. Baby steps.

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