Public Power Solutions Limited (PPS), the wholly-owned company of Swindon Borough Council, has been shortlisted for a prestigious Green Energy Award for Best Community Initiative for its Chapel Farm Solar Park, near Blunsdon.
The awards, held by Regen in Bath’s Assembly Rooms on November 28th, celebrate the success of the green energy sector and, for the first time, have been opened up to nominations from across the UK.
Swindon Chapel Farm Solar Park is the first community solar project funded directly through an Innovative Finance ISA, with council solar bonds issued by leading peer-to-peer investment company Abundance. PPS developed the project on an unproductive former landfill site; construction was completed in March this year and the project is now supplying enough electricity for the equivalent of 1200 typical homes; being managed as a biodiversity hotspot while staying in agricultural use with sheep grazing for part of the year.
PPS is helping Swindon Borough Council install 200 MW renewable capacity by 2020, to meet the equivalent energy needs of every home in the Borough. This is the third consecutive year PPS has been shortlisted for a Green Energy Award; the company won the 2016 award for most proactive Public Sector Organisation. PPS also achieved success earlier this month winning the 2017 APSE Service Award for best Renewable Energy Initiative for Chapel Farm.
Steve Cains, Head of Power Solutions, Public Power Solutions, said: “Chapel Farm Solar Park is helping create a cleaner, greener Swindon while supporting local community initiatives. It’s enabled local people to invest in renewables and earn a tax-free return through the UK’s first green energy ISA. And it’s also providing a stable income for the Council, at a time when budgets have never been tighter. We are very pleased to be shortlisted for a Green Energy Award for the third consecutive year, thanks to the hard work of our small, dedicated team, and hope we’ll make it a double and win another award for 2017!”
Merlin Hyman, Chief Executive of Regen SW, said: “We received an impressive amount and quality of nominations which made shortlisting very difficult. The shortlist chosen showcases the great projects and inspiring individuals leading an energy revolution. The awards evening will be a fantastic celebration of all the hard work being carried out by the sector.”
The shortlisted nominees will now go through to the final stage of judging, where an expert panel of judges, including representatives from the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, National Grid and Triodos Bank will select this year’s winners to be announced at the ceremony.
