Good Energy’s first solar farm has begun operation after construction started in April. The site in Dorset will generate enough electricity for around 1,300 homes and will also be used for sheep grazing.

18 June 2014 – Good Energy’s new solar farm at Tout Hill, near Wool, started generating electricity for the first time this week.

The 5MW site in Dorset is the company’s first solar farm and will generate enough electricity to power around 1,300 homes. Planning permission for the site was received at the end of 2013 and construction on the 34-acre, three-field site began in April 2014.

“It’s great to see the site up and running, and making a contribution to the county’s renewable energy targets,” said Hugo House, from Good Energy.

“In the autumn, we will sow wildflower seeds across all three fields, and later, we plan to allow sheep to graze on the site demonstrating that agriculture, renewable energy production and biodiversity can work side by side.”

Juliet Davenport, OBE, Founder and CEO of Good Energy commented: “The solar farm at Wool will make an important contribution to Dorset’s renewable energy targets and demonstrates the value of solar power as part of our renewable energy generation portfolio.”

All Good Energy’s sites adhere to the company’s responsible development charter. This means the parishes of East Stoke and Wool will benefit from an annual £5,000 community fund, to be administered by a charitable trust set up by local people. The local community will be able to apply for funding and the trustees will award the money to those projects they judge as best serve the needs of the community.

An additional sum of £10,000 is being given to East Stoke to support its plans to build a village hall.

At the same time, three schools – Bovington First, Wool Church of England First and St Mary and St Joseph First – and the D’urbeville Hall have all benefited from the installation of small-scale solar panels.

“We appreciate that local people are ‘hosting’ our developments and this is our way of saying thank you to them,” said Hugo.

For further information, please visit www.goodenergy.co.uk