Conrad Energy has begun construction on a 1.5MW on-site solar development for Belton Farm.
In conjunction with building services specialist Ivegate, the independent power producer (IPP) has officially broken ground on the ground-mounted solar PV installation. Once work has been completed on the site, Conrad Energy said the array is set to reduce Belton Farm’s Co2 emissions by up to 350 tonnes next year.
Belton Farm is a cheesemaker which has been producing cheese from its Whitchurch, Shropshire premises since 1922.
In July of this year, Conrad Energy announced it had agreed on a 25-year power purchase agreement with Belton Farm for solar energy from the new installation, having been granted planning permission for the project in April. Speaking in July, Justin Beckett, Belton Farm’s managing director, said: “Conrad Energy has worked closely with us to identify the best way of meeting our cost and sustainability objectives. In addition, the new solar scheme will be funded by Conrad Energy under a long-term PPA, allowing us to focus on what we do best – making award-winning cheese.”
Steven Hardman, Conrad Energy’s CEO, added: “It’s always a pleasure to work with businesses who share our vision for the energy landscape. As a business with a long history, Belton Farm are happy to make decisions for the long-term, and we are delighted to be part of their team of trusted advisors moving forward.”
Conrad Energy expands its ambitions
Since launching in 2016, Conrad Energy has been steadily growing its presence in the UK across both solar PV power plants and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects. The company currently has 2.5GW of solar and BESS projects in development, with 129MW under construction and 854MW of operational capacity across 83 UK sites.
Earlier this year, in February, Conrad Energy secured planning permission for a 15.23MW solar PV power plant in Yeovil, Somerset, in collaboration with Leonardo Helicopters, having gained planning consent for a 15MW BESS in the region the previous year.
More recently, June saw Conrad Energy successfully energise the 45MW Larport Solar Farm, located in Herefordshire. Energy from this development will be sold to finance firm BNP Paribas under an initial 15-year PPA.
