Saturday, December 7, 2013

Is solar power best kept small?


Michael Eavis at Worthy FarmMichael Eavis installed solar panels at Worthy Farm in 2010

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Community energy projects are the right way to keep the lights on, the head of a solar co-operative in Wedmore, Somerset, has told the BBC.
His thoughts are echoed by the man behind the Glastonbury festival, Michael Eavis.
People are concerned about the dominance of the "Big Six" energy companies, they say.
Rob Richley of the Wedmore Community Power Co-operative was speaking following the government's announcement of cuts in subsidies to solar and onshore wind energy.
£800,000 was needed to build the community "solar paddocks". The funds have been raised by selling shares. More than half of the investors are locals.
The array is placed beneath an overhead transmission line. Power is fed straight into the grid and used by the villagers.
It is small-scale: Spread over six acres, 4,000 solar panels produce one mega watt. That compares to many commercial sites that can produce tens of mega watts.
Investors are expected to see a 9% return on their investment.
Profits made by the co-operative will be returned to the community. That will mean an estimated £600,000 for local charities over the next 25 years.
The key driver is climate change. "We want to increase energy security by making power locally," says Mr Richley.
"People see the sense in it."
One investor is local historian Hazel Hudson. "It's quite fun to put money into something really green," she says.
"I felt a tremendous sense of pride as we marched up there to open up the panels. You felt that this is what everyone should be doing."
Will the changes in subsidies to renewables affect the co-operative? Mr Richley doesn't believe so. "The government has been very supportive of community projects like ours. This is aimed at the mega-farms," he says.

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