Rochdale Solar Farm to be opened by Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change

Rochdale Council has built the first publicly owned solar farm in Greater Manchester

Jonathan Reynolds MP, Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change, is to officially open Rochdale's publicly owned solar farm on Thursday (26 March).

Greater Manchester’s first publicly owned solar farm located behind Rochdale Leisure Centre on Entwistle Road is part of the Council's aim to become the ‘greenest’ authority in the country.

The solar farm consists of 1,000 photovoltaic panels covering a ground area of one acre. They generate an output of 250kWp - connected directly into Rochdale Leisure Centre.

The council benefits from the Feed in Tariff (FiT) – providing a guaranteed income of 10.25 pence per kWh of electricity generated. The array also delivers environmental benefits - offsetting 117 tonnes of CO2 annually and delivering 216 MWh of clean electricity each year.

The solar farm is expected to operate for the next 20 to 25 years after which the array can be decommissioned or the panels replaced.

The Council says its long-term aim is to create a local energy company to serve the residents and businesses of the borough.