Greater Manchester Solar Farm will Power 2000 Homes

Over 10,000 solar panels installed on a 10 hectare site in Heywood are soon to be switched on, eventually providing enough electricity to 2000 homes.

The largest publicly owned solar farm in Greater Manchester, the site at Chamber House Farm will be activated next month, with electricity produced linked to the national grid and used to offset Rochdale Council’s energy bill.

With potential savings of hundreds of thousands of pounds per year, it comes following the council’s successful bid for £3.3m funding from the European Regional Development Fund to make the project viable.

The projects main contractor is Vital Energi, who’s work in heat networks, solar panels, and heat pumps enable them to provide low carbon energy generation, energy distribution, and energy management solutions.

Power exports are expected to commence in early 2024 after is it energised in stages throughout December 2023.

Biodiversity and social value issues have been addressed at the site

The site, which had formerly been used as grazing land, has seen more than 8,000 hedges, shrubs, and trees planted in an effort to enhance biodiversity.

Wildflowers are also set to be planted in the areas between the rows of solar panels.

Additionally, two natural and undisturbed areas have been left by workers on the site, which according to project managers have already attracted rare birds to the area including lapwings.

Vital Energi have also acknowledged the social value benefits the site will bring, having already hosted talks and tours to schools.

They have also taken on two local apprentices as well as conducting mock interview for young people with an interest in working in the clean energy sector.

The project has been praised for bringing sustainability to the area

Rochdale’s commitment to sustainability and renewable energy generation is evident, with this latest solar farm becoming the borough’s second solar farm in the borough after another installation at Rochdale Leisure centre.

During his recent visit to the site, Labour’s shadow minister for clean power and consumers, Jeff Smith, commented: “Ambitious Labour local councils like Rochdale are already leading the way with home-grown projects like the Chamber House Solar Farm, which will help bring prosperity to Heywood and Middleton.

“Under the next Labour Government, projects like this will multiply. Every solar panel we install will not just be about tackling the climate crisis – it will cut bills, create jobs and make Britain energy independent.”

He was accompanied by Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Heywood and Middleton, Elsie Blundell, who added:

Rochdale Development Agency, Vital Energi and the local tradespeople who have delivered this should be really proud. We need to see more of this.

“Why shouldn’t Heywood and Middleton be the place where we have good, well paid green jobs of the future?”