The UK has reached a major milestone in its renewable energy journey as the Ockendon solar farm begins generating electricity from a closed landfill in Essex. With over 100,000 solar modules, the Ockendon Solar Farm is now the third largest solar farm in the country. It is expected to produce enough clean energy to power about 15,000 homes.
This development comes as the UK aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. While this represents a positive step, there is still much work to be done. The government’s goal is to increase solar production from the current 14 gigawatts (GW) to 70 GW by 2035. This ambitious goal would require building a new solar power plant every five days for the next 12 years.
The urgent need to expand solar power generation was highlighted by Frank Gordon, policy director of the Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Association. He stresses that the UK needs to increase its solar capacity to meet legally binding net zero emissions targets, particularly given the extreme weather events seen around the world this summer.
Although there is still a long way to go, the UK has made progress in adopting renewable energy sources. As of 2020, almost half of the country’s energy is generated from a combination of wind, solar, bioenergy and hydroelectric sources. Although this is just the beginning, it lays the foundation for future growth in the renewable energy sector.
In summary, the Ockendon solar farm represents a significant contribution to the UK’s push for greener energy. It also serves as a reminder that more solar capacity is needed to meet the country’s net-zero emissions goals. With continued investment and effort, the UK can continue to move towards a sustainable future.
