Energy era continues at Codford Photo voltaic Farm, Centrica’s first new construct photo voltaic farm owned and operated, as a part of the corporate’s plans to construct a portfolio of versatile power belongings.
Development on the Wiltshire website will begin in April 2022, after Centrica Enterprise Options will get permission in 2021. Consisting of 33,000 panels, the challenge has a complete capability of 18MW and may produce 19GWh of inexperienced electrical energy yearly, sufficient to energy about 4,850 homes.
The deal not solely brings extra renewable energy provision to the UK grid however helps the UK authorities’s ambition to give attention to home-grown renewable power to advertise long-term power independence and safety.
In late 2021, Centrica introduced ambitions to ship 900MW of low carbon belongings by 2026. The corporate is at the moment constructing battery storage initiatives at former gasoline peaking crops in Brigg, Lincolnshire, Knapton, North Yorkshire, and Ostend in Belgium, and has developed a multi-GW pipeline of initiatives.
Vodafone will purchase half of the electrical energy output from the photo voltaic farm, which can assist help their improvement and produce extra renewable energy provision to the UK Grid. Mixed with current agreements, round 44% of the corporate’s annual power wants will come from UK-based renewable energy sources by 2025. Within the UK, 100% of grid electrical energy utilized by Vodafone comes from licensed renewable sources.
The long-term Energy Buy Settlement (PPA) will see roughly 9GWh of inexperienced electrical energy, sufficient to energy round 2,500 properties for a 12 months, devoted to Vodafone UK. The remaining can be bought to the nationwide grid by means of Centrica’s Vitality Advertising and marketing & Buying and selling enterprise.
The settlement is the third PPA signed by Vodafone and Centrica Vitality Advertising and marketing & Buying and selling final 12 months. In Might 2022, Vodafone and Centrica introduced a long-term PPA with MYTILINEOS SA for output from three UK photo voltaic farms. And, in February 2023, Vodafone dedicated to amass a big proportion of the output from a further 5 photo voltaic farms in one of many largest company photo voltaic PPAs so far.
Chris O’Shea, CEO of Centrica, mentioned: “Centrica is an extremely built-in power firm – effectively positioned to drive, and profit from, the power transition. I’m delighted that we at the moment are constructing again property, which focuses on clear energy era and storage.
“That integration goes from constructing new producing belongings, like Codford, to shifting energy throughout Europe. We’re quickly constructing a fame as a number one participant within the European power markets , which helps grid operators with discovering the ability they should keep a safe provide and helps organizations, corresponding to Vodafone, of their web zero ambitions.”
Andrea Dona, Chief Community Officer and Chair of Vodafone Internet Zero Steerco, mentioned: “Attaining web zero for our UK operations by 2027 is a essential a part of our firm technique and the Energy Buy Agreements have vital position. As we speak’s announcement will assist be certain that a big proportion of our power wants, for at the very least the subsequent 10 years, is grown at house within the UK. I’m proud that Vodafone helps to develop to develop new renewable energy websites and help the supply of extra inexperienced power to the UK grid.”
Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP, OBE, Chair of the Internet Zero Overview & Mission Zero Report, mentioned: “As the previous Vitality Minister who signed the UK’s web zero dedication into regulation, I’ve at all times acknowledged the necessity for extra renewable energy as we glance to create a web zero energy grid by 2035. The Internet Zero Overview, ‘Mission Zero’, which I revealed earlier this 12 months referred to as on the federal government to acknowledge that increasing solar energy era is likely one of the handiest methods to ship to web zero sooner or later.
“I’m proud to be a part of the opening of the Codford solar energy plant, which is pioneering British clear power options. This website has the capability to generate over 18 megawatts of unpolluted power, sufficient to energy 5,000 properties and a main. Instance of what we have to obtain to achieve our web zero targets. Our journey to web zero has begun and by opening this plant we’re making an vital step in the direction of unlocking the alternatives it brings.”
Centrica is dedicated to reaching Internet Zero by 2045 and for its clients by 2050. Decreasing the carbon content material of the corporate’s power provide by supporting the enlargement and uptake of unpolluted power is core to attaining Internet Zero. .
