Former landfill transformed into UK’s third largest solar farm

Veolia, a global resource management company, has begun operations at the UK’s largest solar array on a restored landfill area, adding 59MWp of renewable electricity capacity.

The site at Ockendon, Essex, developed with REG Power Management, can generate electricity equivalent to the demand of over 15,000 homes. The Ockendon site uses around 107,000 bi-facial solar modules, each rated at either 540Wp or 545Wp, and is connected to the grid via an on-site 132,000 Volt transformer.

This new capacity adds to Veolia’s existing solar energy facilities and contributes to the UK’s “Powering Up Britain: Energy Security Plan”, which aims to increase solar capacity in the UK from 14GW to 70GW by 2035.

Veolia already generates 800GWh of electricity using a combination of solar, biomass, biogas, and Energy Recovery facilities (ERF), powering 240,000 homes.

Commenting on the project, Donald Macphail, chief operating officer – treatment, said:

“This latest renewable energy development is a further step towards achieving a net zero carbon future for the UK, and a demonstration of how we can transform this restored landfill to give it a new life. Through harnessing the power of the sun to deliver renewable electricity we are advancing our aim to achieve ecological transformation, and countering climate change. The project also has greater significance as the solar arrays have minimal ground level impact, so the wildlife that has repopulated the restored land can continue to coexist with the technology.”