Homestead Farm Solar Farm
The community owned 3.95MW ground mounted solar PV system was built by leading cleantech energy company Anesco and was commissioned on 18th December 2015.
The site (zones 1, 4 and 5 in the map) lies between Shalfleet and Newbridge. It sits to the west of a similar 5MW commercially owned solar park (zones 2 and 3) and will share a grid connection.
The site is helping the Isle of Wight meet its own renewable energy targets. The site has been carefully selected as a suitable location in the area for the following reasons:
- Solar irradiance – the light levels around Homestead are amongst the highest in the country.
The site is free from AONB, SSSI, National Park areas, flood risks, and is based within relatively flat land.
- Visual impact – The hedges and tree lines surrounding the site provides a natural barrier that screens the nearby residents and community. The presence of the solar park will not be prominent within the wider landscape.
The 3.95MW ground mounted solar park is capable of generating 4.68 GWh of electricity – enough to power 1,340 average homes and save more than 100,000 tonnes of CO2 over the 25-year lifetime of the project.