The UK solar industry has received support from an unlikely source after it was revealed celebrity chef Delia Smith commissioned a ground-mount installation at her house in Suffolk.
Smith submitted the application for a ground-mounted domestic installation at her Grade II-listed cottage in November.
A planning report issued by Mid Suffolk District Council concluded that it would be “barely visible” from outside of her grounds and sufficient distance had been placed between it and the cottage so as not to be detrimental to the building’s features.
Permission was granted in late December and local installer East Green Energy commissioned for the work.
Speaking to the Daily Mail of the install, Smith said: “It may seem a drop in the ocean – but then the ocean is made up of little drops, and we would encourage anyone who can to do the same.
“I think anyone who really reflects on the problem would want to play a part and do anything they could to avoid the inevitable catastrophes ahead. Certainly the only effective way to do this is if everyone is together.”
However Solar Power Portal understands that the size of the installation is in fact 8kW rather than the 6kW system the Mail claims. It was also installed prior to the feed-in tariff regime’s pause, meaning that Smith is to receive the full 10.9p/kWh FiT rather than the 4.39p/kWh rate which is now effectively in force.