Herefordshire-based renewable installer, Caplor Energy, has installed one on the County’s largest solar PV installations under a new scheme being debuted by the company.

The 140kWp system at Ditton Farm, near Ross-on-Wye, is expected to generate over 100,000 kWh of electricity per year, saving over 60 tonnes of CO2 in the process.

The array, which covers an area equivalent of six tennis courts, was the first to be completed under a new scheme being introduced by Caplor Energy. Under the agreement, a commercial business hosts a solar array on its premises, free to consume all electricity generated. However, what differentiates Caplor’s offering from other free solar schemes is that the company is also free to buy back the solar array at any point over the 20 year FiT lifetime.   

Ditton Farm owner, Mark Green says: “Installing solar PV on our agricultural buildings makes great economic sense. A large part of our business involves storing potatoes in cold stores during the summer months, so it makes perfect sense to use solar generated electricity to provide the power for keeping the stores cool. It will greatly reduce our electricity costs and will help provide us with energy security for the next 20 years and beyond.”

Jamie Baldwin, Business Development Manager at Caplor Energy says: “It’s been a great achievement to design and install such a large solar PV system to a really tight deadline. It goes to show that the solar energy market in the UK is still very much alive and kicking. We’re experiencing a lot of interest in our new finance scheme for local businesses, and are anticipating several more schemes of this nature in the coming months.”