Build your own wind farm

A group of volunteers in the New Forest has established the West Solent Solar Co-operative to build a 2.4 MW solar farm on the site of a former gravel pit. They have secured the site, got the planning permission, and sorted out a grid connection and are wading through all the other necessary permits and licenses. They now need to raise approximately £2.5 million so that Solar Century can build the farm, and intend to do this by inviting people to invest in this project, thereby becoming members of the co-op. The minimum investment is £250.Investors will get an attractive return – financial projections indicate an overall annualised average return of 8.5%.

Over 500 people have already downloaded the offer documents and the money is starting to come in. The share offer is open until 30th April, or until they have raised the £2.5 million – whichever happens first. It’s not limited to near-by residents. If you’d like to put an investment into this very lucrative offer, see www.westsolentsolar.coop, who will send a share offer prospectus. Or you can or call them on 07736 248315.

They would be very happy to advise other groups thinking about setting up a community renewables project, and say they themselves have benefited enormously from the knowledge passed on by earlier-established renewables co-ops.