Work has started on another major solar energy farm near Swindon as the town continues to be in the vanguard of sustainable power generation in the UK.
The 9.1MW Braydon Manor Farm scheme west of the town, pictured, – which will provide enough energy for more than 1,400 homes – is the UK’s first split ownership solar farm. It will include 18,000 solar panels installed over 18 acres. 
The £5.6m project has been developed by Public Power Solutions, a wholly-owned company of Swindon Council, and will be operated by Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy (WWCE), an initiative of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, whose shareholders own 5MW, with the remaining 4.1MW in private ownership. It is the only community energy company in the country to be created by a Wildlife Trust.
It has come about under the Government’s Community Energy Strategy which encourages shared ownership partnerships between commercial and community groups on renewable energy projects.
In January WWCE raised nearly £3m from a public share offer to fund its share of the project, with 87% of the investment coming from Wiltshire or neighbouring counties. The remaining £2.73m debt financing for the scheme came from ethical bank Triodos.
James Owen, commercial director of Public Power Solutions – formerly Swindon Commercial Services – said: “This is a perfect example of a shared ownership solar project – with the private and public sector and local community all working together successfully to help meet local and national renewable energy targets and cut carbon emissions as well as deliver financial and ecological benefits locally.”
Public Power Solutions has now developed over 65MW of ground-mounted solar in Swindon and nearby, and is rolling out its expertise and experience to help other public sector organisations who want to make the most of their renewable energy assets.
James Owen added: “Solar should be a no-brainer for local authorities, helping them generate revenue through rent, business rates and investment opportunities, while saving taxpayers’ money on council energy bills. Our experience of working with WWCE at Braydon Manor Farm shows that working closely with community groups can further broaden the benefits by offering local people a stake in generating local energy.”
The scheme will save more than 2,500 tonnes of carbon a year. Ecology and biodiversity are being prioritised with the Wildlife Trust establishing an ecological management plan with the creation of wildflower meadows around the panels to greatly boost biodiversity and support wildlife.
It will also generate a community fund of over £2m to support the work of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and be reinvested in other community projects over its 25-year lifetime.
WWCE director Jeff Kenna said: “We will now be able to generate more renewable energy for our money and create a bigger impact for the community.”
WWCE chair Lesley Bennett added: “As a community benefit company we want our members to think of their investment as a contribution to both the local community and the local environment.”
WWCE was supported in raising the community funds and securing the project rights from the developer by Mongoose Energy and Bath & West Community Energy. Mongoose Energy works with community groups, commercial project developers and investors to identify, develop, finance, build and manage community-owned renewable energy installations.
In July the 165-acre the Wroughton Airfield Solar Park, which will be one of the UK’s largest solar farms when it starts generating next year, was sold by Public Power Solutions and the Science Museum in a multi-million pound deal.
The project on the former Second World War RAF airfield near Swindon was bought by the UK arm of German-owned global solar energy company BELECTRIC UK.
In April Swindon Council became nationally recognised as the first UK local authority to use an innovative planning measure to encourage more low carbon energy generation.
