Ed Vaizey pledges to purchase UK's major community-owned wind farm

Jul 4
07:32

2012

Daniel Kidd

Daniel Kidd

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Government minister Ed Vaizey has committed to investing in a solar project in which is expected to grow to be the largest community-owned project of its kind in the UK, it has been reported.

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Mr Vaizey,Ed Vaizey pledges to purchase UK's major community-owned wind farm  Articles the minister for culture, communications and the creative industries, officially launched a share offer for the Westmill Solar Farm, near Swindon on Saturday, according to Business Green.
He said he was keen to secure financial and ethical future for children at the launch of a share offer for Westmill Solar Farm.
The solar farm has been in operation since last August and has the potential to produce 4.8 GWh per year.
"This site is a physical manifestation of what we have which can change the planet for the better," the minister was quoted as saying.
The farm houses more than 21,000 polycrystalline solar panels producing 4.8GWh per year – enough to meet the average annual electricity requirement of 1,400 homes.
Solar power is a well-established renewable energy technology and is regarded as one of the most reliable.
In operation across the world, installed solar capacity is now above 32 GW globally.
Solar photovoltaic panels are attractive because they have no moving parts and therefore require little maintenance.
Similarly they produce no noise, vibration or pollution.
As well as consumers and businesses buying permanent solar panels, portable solar generators are also popular as a means to provide back-up power.
The Westmill site has been constructed by Blue Energy, a seed investor, but it is without a doubt the aim to turn it into a co-operative and take back ownership of the project at a later date.
According to Business Green, the share offer is open until July and anyone is able to apply to be part of the co-operative. The minimum investment is £250 climbing to a maximum of £20,000.