Eden Renewables, a solar developer based in Wiltshire, has officially submitted a planning application to the Wiltshire Council for the ambitious Red Barn solar farm project, situated to the east of Kington St Michael. This groundbreaking venture is not only set to transform the local energy landscape but also marks a significant milestone as the first solar farm in Wiltshire to offer local residents the unique opportunity to own a share of the solar facility.
The Red Barn solar farm initiative, in collaboration with Ripple Energy, is designed to empower residents to save on their electricity bills directly related to the energy generated by the project. This innovative approach will provide local households the chance to participate in a cooperative model, with up to 20% of the solar farm's ownership and operation managed by a cooperative established by Ripple.
Residents in the vicinity will have the preference to purchase shares in this cooperative for as low as £25, subsequently benefiting from approximately 25% savings on their electricity bills, proportionate to their shareholding.
Sarah Merrick, Chief Executive and Founder of Ripple Energy, expressed her excitement about extending their consumer ownership energy model to Wiltshire. She stated, “We're excited to be bringing our consumer ownership energy model to Wiltshire and couldn't have a better partner than Eden Renewables. People are concerned about their energy bills going up as well as climate change, and this is a really simple way for them to tackle both issues.”
Ross Wolhuter, Head of Development UK at Eden Renewables, commended Ripple Energy's proven track record of delivering significant energy bill savings to their shareholders. He emphasized the solar farm's close collaboration with the local community, resulting in a renewable energy project that prioritizes agricultural use, creates new community access areas, and offers an innovative community ownership opportunity.
The solar farm's design emerged from a collaborative workshop with local residents, known as an “Enquiry by Design.” The site encompasses a 47-acre community access area featuring an orchard, woodland pasture, wildflower meadows, seating, and a permissive footpath for access. Additionally, the project sets aside land for allotments and an off-lead dog-walking area. New permissive footpaths and bridleways will be created to connect with existing Rights of Way, forming circular routes.
To minimize the visual impact from the village, three fields closest to Kington St. Michael will remain free from solar development and continue to be used for farming, providing skylark plots. The project includes extensive tree and hedgerow planting to screen the panels, creating new wildlife habitats.
Beyond consumer ownership, the Red Barn solar farm incorporates a community and educational benefit fund of £24,000 annually, adjusted for inflation over its 40-year lifespan, dedicated to local educational, social, and environmental projects—a common practice across all Eden Renewables solar projects.
With a capacity of 40MW AC, the solar farm is poised to generate enough renewable electricity to power approximately 15,000 average Wiltshire homes, while saving an estimated 13,700 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. This substantial contribution aligns with local and national net-zero targets, especially as Wiltshire aims to increase its renewable energy generation from the current 6% to achieve net zero by 2030.
