Lightrock Power to Build 400 MW Solar Projects in UK

After ‘farming friendly’, animal friendly solar is also getting here. Bristol based solar power developer Lightrock Power has announced that the company plans to develop a number of solar projects in the United Kingdom that will be ‘wildlife-friendly.’ The combined capacity of the solar projects will be 400 MW.

As per Lightrock Power, these upcoming projects will also help the UK reduce its dependence on Russian hydrocarbons as the ongoing Ukraine conflict has shown up the risks of such high dependence.

Lightrock Power has bagged three solar projects recently. It has 15 other schemes in the pipeline. It looks to develop a 49MW Upper Leigh Solar Farm in Staffordshire and the company is consulting the communities before submitting the application with the authorities. Lightrock may start the construction work in 2026.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had stated a week ago that the UK needs to go big on nuclear and offshore wind to have sustained long term suppliers that will bring down the costs for consumers over the long term. He held that UK has not invested in the renewables for a generation. The UK had 43.1 per cent of its energy needs coming from renewables in 2020. Due to differences in the Cabinet over onshore wind possibilities, the national energy security document is yet to be published by the UK government.

Lightrock Power

Lightrock Power was established in 2017 to foray into solar, battery storage, and renewable energy. The company develops ground mounted solar farms that are sensitive to ecology and are well connected to the existing grid infrastructure. The company claims that their ground mounting technology doesn’t damage the land.

The company says that they develop projects that are an asset to wildlife and their local community. Environment, ecology and education form three core pillars of their operations.

Wind Energy has particularly been under assault for not being wildlife friendly, thanks to the heavy toll it takes on  birds.