Helicopter manufacturer Leonardo has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with UK-based energy firm Conrad Energy to supply its Yeovil facility with 100% renewable electricity.
Under the agreement, the energy will be sourced from the planned Camp Road solar farm in Somerset, which recently secured planning approval from the local council. Construction of the 11.25MW facility is expected to begin later this year.
Once operational, the solar farm will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 6,500 homes and is projected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 40,000 tonnes over the duration of the PPA.
“The signing of the 20-year PPA represents the culmination of many months of hard work and negotiation,” said Paul Coombs, vice president of facilities, real estate and infrastructure at Leonardo. “Bringing clean energy into the Yeovil site is another significant step in our pursuit of net zero, while sustaining a reliable source of green energy for our business.”
Tony O’Carroll, CEO of Conrad Energy, said the project supports both Leonardo’s sustainability goals and the local authority’s energy transition plans. “Yeovil is an incredibly important site,” he said. “We’re delighted to have solved a decarbonisation and green energy supply challenge, whilst also working to fulfil the aims of the local council.”
He added that long-term projects with positive community and environmental impacts are central to Conrad Energy’s strategy.
The Yeovil facility is a key manufacturing and engineering site for Leonardo in the UK, and the solar initiative forms part of the company’s broader environmental strategy as it works toward net-zero targets.
