THE FIRST major solar farm in the Peterborough area has started generating power, supplying enough energy for 900 local homes to the electricity grid.

The 3.4 MW (megawatt) farm at Reach Drove in Whittlesey comprises 14,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.

Market Deeping company Lark Energy (www.larkenergy.co.uk) led the project to design and build the farm. It used its extensive expertise in large scale solar projects to identify a suitable site, achieve planning permission and the approval to connect the solar farm to the local electricity network. The entire project was then acquired by Prosolia UK and Oakapple Renewable Energy with Lark Energy retained to construct the farm, leading the project from start to finish.

Lark Energy managing director Jonathan Selwyn commented: “I am delighted that the solar farm in Whittlesey is now generating clean, renewable, electricity. Our installation team worked tirelessly to complete the project, particularly in the face of very difficult ground conditions following weeks of heavy rain.

“This solar farm provides a great example of how companies can work together to develop, finance and construct a major renewable energy project in a very short space of time. We are convinced that the future for solar in the UK remains bright and we look forward to developing further projects of this type.”

The company plans to have an official opening of the new solar farm later this year.

Last year, Lark Energy completed two of the UK’s largest solar farms – one in Hawton, near Newark in Nottinghamshire, and one at Marston near Grantham. Each solar farm covers some 30 acres and generates enough electricity to supply around 1,100 homes.

Lark Energy is currently planning three of the UK’s largest solar farms at former World War II airfields in Leicestershire and Suffolk. The proposed 30 MW solar projects will each consist of around 125,000 solar panels, providing enough energy for 7,000 homes.