Atrato Onsite Energy has opened its largest solar farm to date, a 55MW installation in Richmond, North Yorkshire. The £39.4 million project will produce enough clean energy to power over 20,000 homes and is expected to cut 11,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
The solar farm will supply OVO with 49GWh of renewable energy each year under a three-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), supporting OVO's Plan Zero initiative aimed at providing cleaner energy to its customers.
Gurpreet Gujral, managing director of Atrato Partners, highlighted the importance of solar energy in achieving the UK's renewable energy targets: “Tripling the UK's solar capacity by 2030 is no mean feat, however the UK's potential to achieve it is indisputable. From rooftop installations to record-breaking solar farms of this scale, driving forward solar projects is fundamental to reaching the UK government's target of a clean electricity system by 2030, and a net zero economy entirely.”
The solar farm features over 93,000 bi-facial solar panels spread across approximately 166 acres, an area equivalent to 93 football pitches. The bi-facial modules, designed to capture light on both sides, are expected to boost energy generation by about 5% compared to standard panels. Atrato also plans to add a battery storage system to further strengthen the renewable energy infrastructure.
Susie Leppard, OVO's head of renewables, emphasized the collaborative benefits of the project: “Our Power Purchase Agreement with Atrato Onsite Energy at Skeeby is another example of how the renewable generation sector and retail suppliers like us can come together to enable greater volumes of cleaner energy into the UK's energy system.”
