Statkraft has installed the first panels at its 49.9MW Soay Solar Farm in East Yorkshire, its first UK solar scheme to begin construction.
The company said the project, located east of Thornton, will generate enough renewable electricity to power the equivalent of 21,700 homes once operational during 2027.
Statkraft added that around a third of the site will be dedicated to habitat enhancement and new planting, improving biodiversity by over 130% compared with the previous land use.
The company has been working with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, which provides specialist advice on habitat design, suitable plant species and long-term management practices.
Soay Solar Farm is located adjacent to Thornton Greener Grid Park, where the first phase consists of a 200MW two-hour battery energy storage system that is in the final stages of commissioning.
Statkraft has an investment pipeline in the UK exceeding £3 billion and around 20 projects with planning consent across a range of technologies.
“It’s very exciting to see Soay Solar Farm beginning to take shape, with the first panels now in place, and work about to conclude on the final structural site works,” said Statkraft head of solar Charlotte Healey.
“Solar is one of the key renewable technologies we need to deliver stable bills and greater energy security, in an environmentally-friendly way, and Soay is one step closer to playing its part in transforming the way we generate electricity in Great Britain.”
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