Wiltshire renewable electricity group Good Energy is to commission two more solar farms, it announced today.
The Chippenham-based firm said it would add the 5MW sites to its existing four solar farms, taking its total generating capacity to 30MW – enough to serve more than 7,000 homes. 
Planning approvals for the new sites at Lower End, near Devizes, and Crossroads, close to the New Forest, were received last year. A seventh site is to be built later this year, Good Energy said.
The firm has also confirmed it had drawn down £4.1m from the debt financing facility it set up last December to provide long-term funding for the Lower End solar farm. The latest draw down has reduced the £45m facility – which is supporting further development and construction of its solar generation portfolio, to £33.3m.
Good Energy founder and chief executive Juliet Davenport OBE said: “The commissioning of these two new solar farms demonstrates our continued commitment to owning and operating a growing portfolio of renewable generation sites.
“The new solar farms will make an important contribution towards their county’s renewable energy targets, and will also deliver benefits to local people local in the form of community funds and bespoke biodiversity plans.”
The 25-acre Lower End site is expected to generate around 4,700 MWh a year – enough renewable electricity to power approximately 1,100 average homes.
Good Energy said the site was made up of flat, low-grade agricultural land away from the nearby villages of Marston and Worton and was partially surrounded by mature hedgerows which will be grown to around 3m high to screen the panels. Trees will also be planted around the site.
The ground will be sown with a diverse grass mix for sheep grazing, to enhance biodiversity and provide valuable habitats for local wildlife, said Good Energy.
The Crossroads site is expected to generate 4,900 MWh a year. Good Energy said it plans to plant a wildflower meadow between and beneath the solar panels to encourage birds and pollinating insects, and manage it by grazing sheep.
Good Energy’s shares powered ahead in early trading this morning following the announcement – up by more than 16% to 250p – before falling back.
