Work has begun on the Army’s first solar farm as part of a major project expected to deliver £1million in efficiency savings and a massive reduction of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
The solar farm being built at the Defence School of Transport in Leconfield is the first of four photovoltaic solar farm sites to be built on the Army’s vast estate as part of Project PROMETHEUS which will increase renewable energy across the Defence Estate.
When built it will cover an area the size of six football pitches and will be capable of generating up to one third of the electricity needed on site. It will produce enough power to supply much of the site’s infrastructure including the single soldiers and family’s accommodation the offices, classrooms and gym. The cost savings will be invested into Army infrastructure and help to reach the Army’s ambition of Net Zero by 2050.Colonel Chris Henson, Commandant of Defence School of Transport said, “We are delighted that the Defence School of Transport site was chosen as the first solar farm site within Defence, as part of the Army’s Project PROMETHEUS.
“The whole organisation is working hard to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable, and it is something we are certainly focussing on at the Defence School of Transport. We acknowledge that we are a long way off becoming carbon neutral, but it is something that the Defence School of Transport Conservation Team and Defence are working towards for the future.”
The three remaining solar farms scheduled for construction will be based at the Duke of Gloucester Barracks, South Cerney, Gloucestershire, Rock Barracks in Suffolk and Baker Barracks on Thorney Island, Sussex. All three are scheduled to be delivered by Summer 2021 with the aspiration to deliver approximately 80 more across the Army estate over the next seven years.
