Ethical Power Ltd, the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) arm of Ethical Power Group, is completing the 5 MW Whites Pit solar farm in Wimborne for Canford Renewable Energy.
Whites Pit Solar Park: Turning waste into renewable energy
The solar farm will be connected to agreen hydrogen electrolyzer as part of the Dorset Green H2 project, marking the first installation of its kind in the region. Canford Renewable Energy, an operator and developer of energy infrastructure in the Southwest, including renewable and gas-fired plants, is developing the project.
Whites Pit Solar Park was built on a closed landfill owned by Canford Renewable Energy, making this project a brownfield development. According to Neil Buck, managing director of Ethical Power Ltd, building on a landfill site requires a deep understanding of the complexities of previous land use, challenging soil conditions and the specific requirements of the mounting structure. Despite the challenges, Ethical Power and the Canford team worked together to find solutions that allowed the multi-technology infrastructure and appropriate controls to be in place, meeting the go-live date.
The 26-acre landfill site is now home to 12,430 installed solar modules, generating electricity to power a 0.9 MW electrolyzer that produces approximately 120,000 kg of green hydrogen per year. On cloudy days and at night, on-site solar power generation will be supplemented with gas generated from the closed landfill to provide continuous hydrogen production 24/7.
The future of renewable energy in action: the Dorset Green H2 project and its contribution to the energy transition
The maintenance and operation contract for the initial phase is awarded to Ethical Power, ensuring the maintenance of the site throughout its 30-year design life. The Dorset Green H2 project is expected to benefit the Dorset economy while further reducing its carbon footprint. Nathan Ross, executive director of CRE, said the project would serve as a catalyst for the development of a hydrogen economy in the Southwest.
Funding for the project comes from a £3 million loan from the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Place Growth Fund loan scheme, a £1.5 million grant from Low Carbon Dorset, a £1.7 million loan from NatWest and equity funding from Canford Renewable Energy.
Indeed, the Whites Pit solar farm is a testament to the success of brownfield development projects and the power of renewable energy sources such as solar and hydrogen. The collaboration between Ethical Power Ltd. and Canford Renewable Energy in the development of this project demonstrates how the energy industry is moving towards a more sustainable future.
