A revolutionary solar project in Somerset is poised to bring £1.5m to £2m of investment into the county over the coming months, as the project owners this week appointed the first wave of contractors for the scheme, which will be one of the very first sites of its type in the UK.
The pioneering photovoltaics (PV) array development in the South Somerset village of Long Sutton is expected to be completed in March 2011 and will create solar power through a series of ground mounted solar panels, covering around two acres on a six acre site. But what makes this even more remarkable is that, unlike so many other renewable energy projects, this one is being undertaken by a husband and wife team, Nick Gould and Lynne Lawrence, who are owner-occupiers as the PV array site is on their residential land.
Known as The Somerset LAMBS Project (LAMBS stands for Levels And Moors Biomass Solar), the project is expected to be used as a case study for similar developments in the future, leading the way for other non-corporate renewable energy schemes, such as those managed by farmers and landowners. All of the companies appointed to date are based in Somerset, reinforcing the owners’ commitment to supporting their local community and home county.
Project owner Nick Gould says, "We consider that we have assembled some of the best skills sets within the South West and that ownership of this project is very much Somerset based. We are delighted with how quickly the project is moving on. If work continues at this pace, this will be the first operational site in the UK. Now that we have suppliers in place, Somerset will see an immediate benefit in terms of creating local business opportunities and promoting the growth of renewable energy within the county."
Somerset-based renewable heat and power specialist Ecofirst has been appointed as the main contractor. Responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction of the site, Aidan Morris, Managing Director of Ecofirst, says, "We are very excited to be appointed by The Somerset LAMBS Project as the contractor to build the PV farm. As a Somerset company, we are proud that the county is pioneering this form of renewable energy and we are very much looking forward to working with Nick Gould and his team, building one of the first UK PV farms."
Yeovil-based architects and planning specialists Boon Brown was responsible for the design of the stand alone solar array and the attainment of planning permission. Planning Director Shaun Travers has been working closely with local planning authority to allay any concerns about the array, providing evidence on landscape suitability, the physical features of the proposed array and its technical potential, as well as liaising with the local parish council regarding matters of wildlife safety and traffic movements. Planning permission was granted by South Somerset District Council last week, meaning the project is now officially underway.
Another local company, iWood Web Design, will be responsible for the design, development and maintenance of The Somerset LAMBS Project website. The site is expected to be an informative, data rich site that will inform and educate all those interested in the project. Web designer James Gundry says, "I feel extremely privileged and excited about working on this project as it is something of a first for our region, and hopefully it will be a stepping stone to help other areas to follow suit. It is great to know that I will be contributing towards such an inspiring educational resource, encouraging the use of renewable energy, both in our area and nationwide."
At the heart of The Somerset LAMBS Project is a commitment to working closely with the local community and business development agencies. As part of this, the owners will be donating part of the Feed-In Tariff from the scheme to the Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), which contributes towards charitable and voluntary organisations in Somerset. Justin Sargent, Director of the SCF, comments, "This scheme will bring much needed support to local charities and voluntary organisations at a time when so much funding for small community groups is being cut back. It seems that we would be hard pressed to find a better example of a truly sustainable development – a project that combines environmental, social and economic benefits, not just for the here and now but for years to come. Across the UK, local Community Foundations are forming strong partnerships with providers of renewable energy but this will be a first for Somerset."
The county’s inward investment body Into Somerset was instrumental in the owners’ decision to invest in the renewable energy sector and throughout the planning process the Somerset Chamber of Commerce has provided valuable support and advice, highlighting the strong business support available and dedication to renewable energy in the region. Somerset Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Rupert Cox comments, "I am delighted that one of our Somerset Chamber members has been so ambitious with this solar array project – all as a result of a chance discussion watching Somerset play cricket! A privately funded and delivered renewable energy project using local suppliers is a rare occurrence in Somerset so Nick must be applauded. We are equally pleased that the project has engaged with local companies to help bring the project forward as we regard business to business activities between Somerset firms as key drivers in growing our economy. This keeps the business local and more fundamentally in this case keeps the revenue from the feed-in tariffs in the local economy."
