Belectric, First Solar hook to grid 34.5 MW of UK solar parks

Jun 18, 2014 - US firm First Solar Inc (NASDAQ:FSLR) and the UK unit of German solar systems developer Belectric GmbH said Tuesday they had tied to the grid 34.5 MW of solar parks in southern and eastern England.

The three utility-scale plants were connected on schedule and on budget, Belectric’s chief business development officer Martin Zembsch noted.

The largest of the plants is the 14-MW Marsh solar farm in Wiltshire South West England, which is owned by ESPF 3, the renewable energy fund of German asset manager KGAL. The now-operational 10.5-MW Weston Lonville park in Norfolk and the 10-MW Holton plant in Suffolk are owned by the BBIP infrastructure fund.

Together the three plants, which use First Solar thin-film modules, will be able to generate about 33.9 million kWh of power each year, enough for 10,200 local homes. Their output is also expected to save about 11,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions annually.

Belectric noted that about 80% of the 1,400 MWp of solar capacity it has installed so far is powered by First Solar’s PV modules. In September 2013, Belectric and First Solar unveiled a joint venture aimed at developing solar parks in Europe and North Africa as well as in the US.

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