The innovative project enables households and businesses in and around Swansea and Gower to buy fairly priced renewable energy directly sourced from a local solar farm with battery storage, through 100 percent green electricity and low carbon gas provider Bristol Energy.
The Gower Power Solar Storage scheme, funded by Welsh Government and European Regional Development Funds, enables households and businesses to know exactly where their energy is coming from, and ensures profits stay in the local area, when they onboard to a bespoke tariff developed by Gower Power and Bristol Energy.
The deal, which promises 100 percent clean, renewable energy, is available to 300 local households or businesses who can now sign up for the energy supply via the Gower Power website here. Bristol Energy handle the technicalities of switching, billing and account management, enabling customers to buy clean power from Gower.
Electricity produced by the community owned solar farm will be stored and fed onto the local grid when needed, and if the demand from its customers is too great, top-ups from other 100 percent clean, renewable sources will keep the power flowing.
“On our journey to becoming a wholly green energy supplier, it’s hugely important to Bristol Energy that we continue to work on innovative projects, such as Gower Power, through our PPAs (Purchase Power Agreements); purchasing renewable electricity sourced directly from generators in Wales, and across the UK" said Simon Proctor, Head of Renewables at Bristol Energy. “As well as 100% green, fairly priced electricity and excellent customer service, residents who switch to Bristol Energy are committing to supporting their local community, as profits of the Gower Power project stay in the area. We’re proud to play a part in this exciting next phase of the Gower Power project and welcome customers looking to go green and support local.”
Ant Flanagan, co-founder of Gower Power, added that it is extremely exciting getting the first of many of these local storage and supply schemes underway and that the company is really pleased to have created a way of helping communities lock in more benefits from local renewable energy assets local to them.
The solar farm owner, Gower Regeneration Ltd, became the first community-owned solar farm in Wales in 2017. The six acre solar farm attracted 415 investors purchasing over £900,000 worth of shares, seeing the project win the year’s Community Renewable Energy Project Award for: ‘The most commendable sustainable electricity generation project undertaken by a community group across Wales and England.’
With the addition of a Tesla battery, secured with the funding from Welsh Government, the farm will soon be able to store and distribute green electricity.
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