Location of the shared solar park in Derril Water in Devon. Courtesy: Ripple
Community renewable developer Ripple Energy has revealed that Britain’s first shared solar park will be built at Derril Water in Devon, UK.
This announcement comes as renewables developer RES has agreed to sell its Derril Water Solar Park to a Ripple-managed co-operative.
The project, which will be Ripple’s third, will provide an alternative way for solar parks to be owned in Britain.
Ripple will introduce a consumer-focused model that allows people across the UK to part-own the solar park.
By co-owning Derril Water Solar Park, members will be able to power their homes with green energy, as well as reduce energy bills and their carbon footprint.
Sarah Merrick, founder and CEO of Ripple Energy said: “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.”
Derril Water Solar Park will be up to 42MW, with the potential to power up to 14,000 homes. RES selected the project due to its viable grid connection, solar irradiance levels and positioning outside of any statutory environmental, archaeological and landscape designations.
Ripple states that almost 20,000 people in Britain have already reserved a place in the project, and the company is urging interested households to come forward and buy shares when it opens to the public on the 26th April 2023.
Ripple has implemented this model in two consumer-owned wind farms in Wales and Scotland, with members of the first project having saved on average over £300 ($371) each in the first year.
Lucy Whitford, RES’ managing director – UK&I said: “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.”
