Iconic London landmarks including Tower Bridge, Hampstead Heath, and the Barbican Centre are set to be powered by renewable electricity from a new solar farm in Dorset.
In 2020, the City Corporation agreed a £40m deal with international energy provider Voltalia to buy all the electricity produced by the new solar farm for 15 years. The facility has just been completed and will provide over half of the City Corporation’s electricity from 1 January 2023.
The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is the first of its kind in the UK to be signed directly between a renewables producer and a governing authority. It will help the City Corporation slash its fossil fuel use and save over £3m in energy costs per year.
Chairman of the City Corporation’s Environment Committee, Keith Bottomley, said: ‘This scheme is a pioneering blueprint by the City Corporation for local authorities across the UK, cutting carbon emissions and giving cheaper, more secure energy, protected from the price volatility of energy markets.
‘The deal will increase our green energy supply, has no reliance on taxpayer funding, and helps us transition quickly away from fossil fuels.’
CEO of Voltalia, Sébastien Clerc, said: ‘The completion of South Farm is a great achievement. I would like to warmly thank all the Voltalia teams and our local British suppliers and subcontractors, who have been working together on this project.
‘In the current energy crisis, we are very proud to supply clean and cheap electricity to some of London’s most iconic landmarks. With this 15 year contract we are actively supporting the City Corporation in mitigating its energy budget volatility and reaching its net zero target.’
