A national company dedicated to helping businesses, local authorities, housing associations and homeowners to reduce their carbon emissions is to regenerate a number of former colliery sites with the development of a 30MW solar portfolio.

Anesco is working with landowner Harworth Estates in bringing forward construction work at Welbeck, with work expected to begin on the remaining sites later in the year.

The project will begin with the development of three sites in Nottinghamshire: Welbeck Colliery in Mansfield, Gedling in Lambley and a third site in Bilsthorpe.


Adrian Pike, CEO of Anesco, said: "Working with landowners to develop sites likes these former collieries fits perfectly with government policy, with the Department of Energy and Climate Change pushing the focus of growth in solar to be on brownfield sites and domestic and industrial roofs.

"These sites are based in the Midlands and north of England, which is important as we believe it is essential that solar developments are made across the UK and not just in the south west."

The work on Welbeck Colliery will cover an area of almost 32 acres and will generate carbon savings of around 5.11 tonnes per year. It will comprise of 44,160 solar panels mounted on around 15km of frames that have a combined generation capacity of 11.2MW.

(CD/JP)