A WHITCHURCH solar farm that supports groups around Shropshire has launched a share offer to take it into community ownership.

Shropshire and Telford Community Energy (STCE), a local Community Benefit Society (BenCom), launched the offer to fund the transfer of Twemlows Solar Farm near Whitchurch.

The share offer will enable local people who care about climate change to put their money to work to tackle the issue directly, earn a fair return on their investment, and greatly increase the solar farm’s economic contribution to the local area.

Robert Saunders, chairman of STCE, said: “Our aim is to raise the capital needed to purchase this highly efficient operating solar farm and deliver a substantial increase in community benefits for many years to come.

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“We have ambitions to develop other community energy projects, and are working on a heat and wind project in Bishop’s Castle.

“Twemlows is supporting a cleaner, greener, fairer future helping to accelerate the transition to net zero and we hope lots of local people will join us on the journey.”

The solar farm has been successfully operating since 2016 and, with a capacity of 10MWp, it supplies enough electricity for the equivalent of 3,400 average homes, saving over 4,000 tonnes of carbon per year.

Since the solar farm was completed it has had very few technical issues. It has been built on grade 3b agricultural land (moderate quality) on which a local farmer grazes their sheep between the panels.

STCE has already distributed £22,500 from the Twemlows community fund this year.

Once it is community-owned, it is expected to generate a community benefit pot of £4.5 million over the next 18 years.

One of the projects that has benefitted from the money generated is the maintenance of wildlife areas close to Queensway playing fields.

Robert added: “Community-owned energy gives individuals the vital opportunity to play a part in the clean energy transition beyond just being a consumer.

“STCE is in great company with four like-minded Community Benefit Societies.

Whitchurch Herald:

“While owning our individual solar farms, we are committed to working together and supporting each other so that we can benefit from each other’s expertise, experience and share knowledge and lessons along the way.”

The share offer will be open until October 27 but may close earlier if fully subscribed.

To download the Share Offer Documents and invest, please visit www.ethex.org.uk/invest/stce

To find out more about STCE please visit https://stcenergy.org.uk