Plans have been unveiled for a new solar plant near Oxford that will supply electricity for thousands of homes in the region.

The 37-megawatt plant will be built by solar energy company Conergy on a disused airfield classified as brownfield land at Kencot Hill after it secured a contract for the engineering, procurement and construction from RWE Supply & Trading.

Residents, businesses and public sector organisations in the vicinity will be the main beneficiaries of the 144,000-panel ground-mounted development.

It will produce enough electricity to power 10,000 residential properties, as well as saving approximately 380,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions over the course of the next 24 years based on the energy mix of today’s National Grid.

Robert Goss, managing director of Conergy, claims there is a need for increased investment in low-carbon power across the UK. The Government, for example, has set a deadline of 2020 for meeting 15% of the UK’s energy demand from renewable sources.

Mr Goss is confident that the Kencot Hill plant will be a success, pointing to examples of other large-scale power stations nationwide that already provide power to tens of thousands of homes and help avoid millions of tonnes of carbon emissions.

Landowners looking to create solar farms are urged to seek expert advice so they properly meet any regulations when working with developers and ensure they maximise profits. Henry White, associate in Strutt & Parker's Resources & Energy team, said an important aspect of solar development is reinstatement.

“This cannot simply be left to the goodwill of the developer in the final years of the lease,” he explained. “The company could easily be dissolved leaving the landowner exposed to the liability of having to reinstate and dispose of panels and cabling etc. Of course, speed is key in dealing with such matters and at Strutt & Parker we have the expertise and ability to assist.”

In addition to Kencot Hill, which is located 19 miles away from the City of Oxford, Conergy has a number of other projects in the pipeline.

The company has already completed 68MW of large-scale photovoltaic systems in the first three months of this year, including a 19MW project in Wiltshire, meaning it will qualify for the higher Renewable Obligation Certificate level.

The Kencot Hill plant marks the first time that RWE Supply & Trading has invested in British solar industry. Hedgerows will be reinforced around the 129-acre site to hide most of the facility from public view, as well as boost biodiversity and local wildlife in the area.

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