UK's first hybrid energy farm set for power boost

Planning permission to build two new sun parks in Bulkworthy in Devon, and Dalby in Leicestershire, which will join with existing wind farms to create more hybrid energy parks, while all three projects are set to gain an extra 18,000 solar panels with a 5MW capacity, powering over 1,000 homes and saving nearly 2,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

The firm also plans to boost the biodiversity across each site by creating species-rich grassland and planting native hedgerows in the surrounding area.

Dale Vince (right), founder of Ecotricity, believes hybrid energy parks like this are the future of energy in Britain, with the combination of the wind and the sun making for a more consistent energy supply, while also stating that the potential for Britain’s energy independence is huge.

“Ecotricity is approaching 100MW of generation capacity from the wind and the sun now, and we’ll be adding Green Gas Mills to that next year, making green gas from grass – together that’s a blueprint for Britain,” he said. 

“Wind and solar made up around 13% of the UK’s entire electricity generation last year – while all renewables together contributed 25% – but we need to be doing more.

“The current government has cut support for both the wind and solar industries, yet has promised to give nuclear a subsidy at twice the market price for 35 years and has increased support for the oil and gas industries – it’s a government going backwards on climate change.”

Hybrid renewable energy parks combine wind and sun generation in the same location using one grid connection, which Ecotricity claims is a “more efficient, rounded approach to green energy generation in Britain.”

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