Centrica begins construction 18MW solar farm as it targets 650MW portfolio

• Construction has started at Centrica's 18MW Codford Solar Farm, near Warminster in Wiltshire.

The 72-acre site was obtained in 2021, and got financial investment approval in December. Local MP Andrew Murrison visited the site on 22 April to assist mount the first of 33,000 photovoltaic panels that will remain on the site.

It is anticipated to be finished by summer, and will certainly be the initial functional site that forms part of Centrica's 650MW solar farm portfolio by 2026 target.

The business announced this ambition in addition to the development of a brand-new division to target it-- called Centrica Energy Assets-- in October 2021. It fits within the company' wider target of 900MW of low carbon assets, with solar and storage the core focus.

It lately acquired a 30MW battery storage plant in Dyce, Scotland, to further support this target.

Costs Rees, supervisor of Centrica Energy Assets, said: "Centrica has dedicated to getting to Web Zero by 2045 and this notes a crucial milestone in the firm's drive to deal with the results of climate change. We should make full use the natural resources available to us in order to provide a clean, green, renewable energy future for the UK."

Push Energy is constructing the Codford Solar Farm along with Centrica. Previously in April, Centrica Business Solutions authorized a framework agreement with the programmer to construct a pipeline of solar PV projects in the UK, including acting as a turnkey design, procurement and construction (EPC) supplier.

Amit Oza, primary industrial police officer at Push Energy stated the company was pleased to be delivering the solar farm.

" This project is an instance of the partnership between both business in action as we interact to create, construct and run new solar capacity at scale."