Insight Into £2.5 Million Solar Technology Project

Students studying renewable energy visited a £2.5 million solar technology project on the outskirts of Wrexham. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Legacy solar farm became the first of its kind in Wales when it opened in 2015 and is estimated to generate enough electricity to power approximately 700 homes every year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As well as having the opportunity to walk around the site, the students got to hear from some of those at Wrexham Council about the technologies and benefits of the scheme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Legacy solar farm will reduce the carbon footprint of otherwise using fossil fuel by 1,300 tonnes of CO2 (the driver behind climate change) a year– the equivalent of travelling 32½million miles by train during the life of the project. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

David Sprake, programme leader for Renewables Energy at Wrexham Glyndwr University, said: “Any local renewable energy production will reduce our energy reliance on Europe and the rest of the world which can only be a positive thing. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Wrexham Glyndwr University is passionate about supporting its graduates to connect with industry and the visit to the solar farm will enhance the theoretical knowledge of renewable technologies which they’ve been learning here on campus. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Solar farm installations have no moving parts, no noise or local pollution and only minimal maintenance is required. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“They have the added advantage of not having to constantly feed with expensive fuel. Aside from looking better than a power station, being a sound investment (if done correctly) and having much lower environmental impact than other forms of power generation they can also can allow for animals to graze peacefully between the rows of light trapping modules.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Legacy Solar Farm is just one renewable technology initiative put in place by Wrexham Council over the last few years; the Council successfully completed the installation of 20,000 PV panels on 2675 council houses as well as installing Bio Mass Energy efficiency measures in schools and council buildings. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​