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Community Solar Project about to go live PDF Print E-mail
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Written by Steve Glennie-Smith   
Monday, 08 June 2015 23:16

The first Ledbury Community Solar Co-op project - installation of solar panels on the roof of the Community Hospital in Market Street - is nearing completion.


View from scaffolding during installation (photo - Ledbury Community Solar Co-op).

The installation, which is scheduled to go live on 22nd June, is claimed to be capable of producing 87kW peak (ie. early afternoon on a sunny day). This is more than the total electrical needs of the whole hospital, so the excess will be exported to the grid. It will produce a lesser, but still significant amount of electricity in dull weather.


Installing the last few of the 80 panels on the roof overlooking Market St.
There will be further panels on the two wings behind the main façade.

It has been financed by subscription that was fully taken up very soon after the shares went on offer in February 2015. Ledbury residents were given preference. The 'feed-in tariff', which is paid according to how much electricity the panels produce, whether that electricity is used on-site or exported, is the incentive to install such systems. It will be distributed to shareholders in proportion to their holding.

This is the Co-op's first project. It aims to reduce Ledbury's carbon footprint by installing further arrays on large buildings in the town. The co-operative element allows local people to invest in renewable energy, enabling those whose own roofs are unsuitable or too small to benefit from the government incentive.

There is more information about the co-op here.

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 July 2015 11:07