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Leading renewable energy developer OnPath Energy has appointed specialist contractor GOLDBECK SOLAR to manage engineering, procurement and construction work at a new West Yorkshire solar energy project.
OnPath’s Barnsdale Solar Park, which sits between Kippax and Allerton Bywater to the east of Leeds, will be able to generate enough electricity to meet the average annual requirements of up to 13,000 family homes through solar panels covering a 50-hectare area.
GOLDBECK SOLAR will now be responsible for delivering the design, construction and commissioning work required at the Barnsdale Solar Energy Park and will also carry out maintenance and management work for the first two years after it begins to generate green electricity.
With construction scheduled to begin in the summer, the OnPath and GOLDBECK SOLAR teams are now working together to complete design work and surveys at the south-facing site.
GOLDBECK SOLAR will also be responsible for the connection of the site to the National Grid via the nearby Ledston Primary electricity sub-station, which is scheduled to follow in spring next year, and will also work to ensure optimum performance is being delivered.
Alongside the green energy it will generate, the Barnsdale Solar Park’s detailed ecology and biodiversity strategy will also see the biggest increase in biodiversity for any renewable energy project within Leeds to date.
It includes extensive wildflower meadows, wetland habitat, native trees, scrub and hedgerow planting, and will achieve a biodiversity net gain of 106%, which is more than ten times the expected outcome for a project of this type.
As part of OnPath Energy’s OnPath Together development approach, over £800,000 of the revenues generated by Barnsdale will be directed into a community fund supporting local community groups, voluntary organisations and environmental projects over its lifetime.
OnPath Energy owns and operates four onshore wind farms in Yorkshire, including the Hook Moor Wind Farm near Leeds, and is also currently developing the Common Farm Solar Energy Park near Dinnington in South Yorkshire.
“The Barnsdale Solar Park is OnPath’s first solar project and represents a real milestone towards achieving the company’s ambition of becoming the UK’s leading land-based renewable energy developer.”
Martin Kellerman, construction director at OnPath Energy.
Martin continues: “We’ve been making excellent progress with our preparatory work at the site and excited to be moving quickly towards the start of construction work proper.
“GOLDBECK SOLAR has extensive experience of working on solar energy generation projects, both within the UK and overseas, and we’re very pleased to have them as part of an excellent team of contractors that will help us deliver the Barnsdale Solar Park with maximum efficiency.”
GOLDBECK SOLAR is an international company specialising in the turnkey construction of industrial, commercial, and large-scale solar plants. The range of services covers the entire value chain from engineering and construction to the integration of storage technologies, technical operation, asset management, and the direct sale of clean energy.
Founded in 2001, the company has built 3.5 GW of solar power plants in 20 countries.
Colin Deans, UK Country Manager at GOLDBECK SOLAR, adds: “We are delighted to be working with OnPath on this project, marking our first collaboration.
“Barnsdale adds to our ever-growing construction pipeline and we look forward to working with OnPath on delivering a high performing project.
“This site has some unique challenges and we believe it highlights our expertise on designing projects like Barnsdale”
Local residents, businesses, and community groups can find out more about the Barnsdale Solar Park by visiting www.onpathenergy.com/barnsdale
