Swindon Borough Council-owned Public Power Solutions has switched on Barnfield Solar Farm. The 2.5MW facility will power the solid recoverable fuel (SRF) plant and depot at the adjacent Swindon household waste recycling centre via a private wire, cutting power bills by around £185,000 a year.
The SRF plant process 70,000 tonnes of rubbish a year, converting it to renewable fuel and diverting 97% of Swindon’s domestic rubbish from landfill.
The council invested directly in the solar farm. Cabinet member for highways and the environment, Maureen Penny, said the scheme ticked multiple boxes. Reducing its carbon footprint is “a top priority” as is cutting energy costs “at a time when we have to deliver large savings from out budget”.
Steve Cains, head of power solutions at PPS, said the firm “expects to work on many more private wire solutions” now that solar subsidies have been removed.
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