Bristol Energy Cooperative (BEC) is working with Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) to build a 240 kWp rooftop array at the airbase.
According to the groups, the plant is expected to produce more than 200,000 kWh annually, reducing annual bills for the air ambulance charity. It is part of the South West Local Solar Scheme (SWLSS) project pipeline.
“It is really exciting to see the project at GWAAC becoming a reality,” said Helen Martin, CEO of BEC.
“Through the solar installation here, community energy will not only provide local jobs and tackle the climate crisis, but will also help provide life-saving services to the people who live here.
“It’s all part of our mission to build a power station on the roofs of Bristol. Everything we do relies on the support of our member investors – we now have a share offer open, which is a great opportunity for people to get involved and help deliver these important projects.”
Anna Perry, CEO of Great Western Air Ambulance Charity, emphasized the importance of a sustainable organisation.
She said: “We are pleased to be able to do our bit for the environment in partnership with some brilliant local organisations. Not only do the rooftop solar panels help generate renewable energy, they also reduce our operating costs, meaning more lives can ultimately be saved.”
BEC has received more than £500,000 in grant support from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority to deliver the SWLSS, which aims to install 2 megawatts of rooftop solar capacity across the West of England by 2025. Since its inception, the organization has made twenty solar energy projects available. and battery energy storage projects online, bringing 12 MW of peak energy capacity to the grid.
The community energy group is already a quarter of the way to raising £1 million in crowdfunding investment, with the offering live on Triodos Bank’s crowdfunding platform.
In April, the South West was named a ‘solar hotspot’ by Independent Advisor, ranking above other regions based on the percentage of households with solar panels installed in 2023-2024, solar panel capacity as of December 2022 and average annual solar hours .
The region is also home to Britain’s first co-owned solar farm, a 42 MW site in Devon. It was sold to Ripple Energy in 2023 and the company confirmed that it had reserved 10% of Derril Water Solar Park’s production for local residents.
