Solar panels plan a first for wind farm

SCOTTISH Power has announced it will start adding solar panels to one of its Cornwall wind farms, creating the first site in the UK where the two technologies are paired with battery storage.

Engineers will install up to 10 megawatts (MW) of panels at the Carland Cross site, which houses 20MW of wind turbines and 1MW of batteries.

Chief executive Keith Anderson: “Today we have announced the world’s first hybrid energy park at Carland Cross in Cornwall. One of the UK’s first operational wind farms, it has already been re-powered, seen the construction of a super battery, and will now see solar co-generation at the site.

“We are committed to doubling the amount of green electricity we generate by 2025, and this will be delivered through innovative projects like Carland Cross, that will fully realise the potential of existing sites and by delivering our ambitious UK development pipeline.”

The company said electricity usage dipped last year in its retail section, as the Covid-19 pandemic changed habits across the country Electricity use was down 6%, while gas use dropped 3%. While many people worked from home during the period, increasing their domestic consumption, factories and offices were empty for significant periods, so they used less energy. Business electricity use fell by 13%.

Many customers have also struggled to pay their bills, as those on furlough only took home 80% of their previous salaries while many others lost their jobs.

Mr Anderson said: “Throughout the pandemic we supported over 300,000 of our customers by offering help with their bills.”