Issue details
Chelson Meadow Solar Farm Virtual Power Purchase Agreement
In June 2022, the Council submitted a joint
planning application with Plymouth Energy Community (PEC) for a
13MW solar farm at the ex-landfill site at Chelson Meadow. The
planning application received unanimous support and planning was
approved (subject to conditions).
The building of the solar farm creates the following opportunities
for the council:
• To reduce the Council’s total carbon emissions by
approximately 60%.
• To reduce the corporate energy costs
• To guarantee future energy costs over a 15 – 20 year
period through a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement with the solar
farm.
• To generate an income to the Council through the lease of
the land, the provision of construction finance, and the creation
of a joint venture to own the solar farm.
This decision focusses on the opportunity for the Council to
guarantee future energy costs by entering into a Virtual Power
Purchase Agreement with the site operator. The basic principal of
the opportunity is that the Council secures a fixed strike price
for power, which is lower than the potential power costs to the
Council over the lifetime of the agreement. This arrangement
provides certainty of power costs over a medium term.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Expenditure;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Notice of proposed decision first published: 09/02/2023
Open/Exempt: Open;
Decision due: 9 March 2023 by Cabinet
Lead member: Cabinet
Lead director: Service Director for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure
Department: Place