Britain Set for First People-Powered Solar Park

Britain Set for First People-Powered Solar Park

Ripple Energy, a UK-based firm which builds renewable parks, has shared that the Derril Water Solar Park in Devon is set to become Britain’s first shared solar park.

Renewable energy firm RES will be responsible for developing the project, for which it has signed an agreement to sell its Derril Water Solar Park to a co-operative managed by Ripple Energy. This will pave the way for households across Devon and Britain to purchase and own part of the project.

The co-owners of the Derril Water Solar Park will be able to see savings on electricity bill soon and also curb carbon footprints. This will depend on the electricity that their solar park generates. The rest of the 90% of the people-powered solar park will be accessible by people across the country.

Ripple already a similar people-powered model of wind farms in Wales and Scotland. This was a first such project for UK and also its largest.

Founder and Chief Executive of Ripple Energy Sarah Merrick commented, “By offering consumer ownership, Derril Water Solar Park will become a completely different kind of solar park, one owned by the people it supplies low cost green power to..We want Derril Water to become a blueprint for consumer-owned solar parks around the world and create a wave of green energy ownership that enables people to make a real climate impact, as well as stabilising their energy bills.” She further added, “People from all corners of Britain will be able to co-own Derril Water Solar Park, and we hope as many as possible will become part of this pioneering project.”

RES’ Managing Director for UK & I, Lucy Whitford shared, “Bringing Ripple on board at Derril Water offers a new way for consumers to share in the benefits of renewable energy and play a part in fighting climate change. The ability for local households and businesses to get involved connects the community directly with the project. Ripple’s model at Derril Water provides a direct way for consumers to lower their energy costs at such a critical time.”