Lightsource Renewable Energy, the UK’s leading solar energy generator, is embarking on a ‘Solar Roadshow’ this month. The new education and employment workshops will provide local landowners, farmers, businesses and residents with information on solar farms. The organisation aims to boost rural business with understanding of the technology, highlighting the income and job opportunities in the industry. Just one solar farm can power thousands of households with green electricity and can be up and running in three months. The first in a series of free workshops will be held from 21st-24th of January in Coventry, Hull, Blackpool and Gloucester.
Lightsource’s 80 solar farms currently provide clean, secure electricity to over 100,000 UK homes, and aims to double this capacity by December 2014. It is looking to add to its 160 strong team and recruit an additional 100 staff this year to meet its mission of powering the UK with clean energy. Jobs available include roles for engineers, office professionals and asset managers. Approximately 20 of the vacancies are for engineers to manage the solar farms locally, both monitoring performance and managing the surrounding land.
The company also aims to find local suppliers across the country to provide services for the development of its solar farms, such as landscapers, ground workers and farming professionals.
Nick Boyle, CEO, Lightsource Renewable Energy said:
“Solar power is one of the UK’s fastest growing industries. Our goal is to have as many people involved in this positive, low carbon sector as possible. Whether it’s benefiting from land rent, fixed price electricity or working to build the farms, there are opportunities to be part of this exciting change in the UK’s economy.”
He added:
“We are absolutely focused on championing the rural economy and ensuring our schemes both promote the local supply chain and benefit local communities. The Solar Roadshow is designed to make sure this happens. We encourage anyone with an interest in or curiosity about solar power to drop by.”
The ‘Solar Roadshow’ workshops will be held from 5-9pm on:
21st January, Coventry: Koco Community Resource Centre 15 Koco Building, Arches Industrial Estate, Coventry, Warwickshire CV1 3JQ
22nd January, Hull: Rainbow Centre, Wheeler Street, Hull, East Yorkshire, HU3 5QE
23rd January, Blackpool: Cleveleys Community Centre and Church, Kensington Road, Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire, FY5 1ER
24th January, Gloucester: GL3 Community Hub, Cheltenham Road East, Churchdown, Gloucester, GL3 1HX
Further dates and venues will be announced later in the year.
The programme for each drop-in workshop includes three educational seminars:
7.00pm to 7.30pm – How can you benefit from solar? Working with Lightsource Renewable Energy
8.00pm to 8.15pm – All you need to know about solar farms
8.15pm to 8.30pm – Habitat Enhancement & Biodiversity gains
For further information on Lightsource ‘Solar Roadshows’ contact the communications team by email info@lightsource-re.co.uk or phone 0333 200 0755
