Guernsey’s biggest ever solar energy scheme is to be installed at the power station.
The work will be carried out by local specialists the Little Green Energy Company and, once completed, should provide enough energy to power the equivalent of 50 electric cars annually.
It follows a competitive tendering process by Guernsey Electricity which will see hundreds of solar panels on the roof of a building at the power station on Northside, Vale.
Alan Bates, Guernsey Electricity’s chief executive, said: “Guernsey Electricity is committed to supporting local business whenever we can, and the Little Green Energy Company’s expertise matched our requirements for what will be the island’s largest solar array once it is commissioned into service.”
The solar array will also help Guernsey’s energy security by diversifying the island’s energy mix in addition to the existing on-island generation capacity and importation of low-carbon electricity from France.
Alan said: “As well as offering the opportunity to lower emissions, this renewable energy development will benefit all islanders because it will feed solar energy directly into Guernsey’s electricity system. As Guernsey Electricity continues to strategically consider how advances in technology can benefit the island, the solar array is also an opportunity for us to see the real-world impact of renewable energy and plan accordingly.”
Simon Dudson, from the Little Green Energy Company, said: “This is a very exciting time for Guernsey, with this system being the biggest installed in the Channel Islands. Once installed it will provide over 100kW of green, clean power; giving energy diversity to the supply. We hope that this is the first step in providing a greener future to Guernsey’s power needs.”
Planning permission for the solar array was granted last November. The panels should be installed by April.
