Construction work has started on a new 2.5MW solar park project in Swindon.

The Barnfield Solar Park scheme, developed by Public Power Solutions (PPS), will see a new solar farm built on a council-owned former landfill site adjacent to the recycling centre at Cheney Manor.

The facility will help power the recycling centre and is expected to take between six to eight weeks to build.

In addition, it will help Swindon move even closer to its goal to install 200MW of renewable capacity by 2020.

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Cllr Toby Elliott said: "We have shown once again that we are a trailblazing local authority when it comes to renewable energy projects.

"We have significantly reduced the amount of waste we send to landfill due to our SRF plant, so using renewable energy to power it is the icing on the cake. This project comes hot on the heels of the new solar park at the former landfill site at Chapel Farm which will not only benefit the environment, but will support community projects from the income it will generate.

"We are well on track to hit our ambitious renewable energy target and this is another excellent project we intend to build on in the years ahead."

Steve Cains, Head of Power Solutions, PPS, said: "This is a fantastic example of the circular economy in action. The waste centre processes around 60,000 tonnes of rubbish a year from Swindon households converting it to renewable fuel; and in future that work will mainly be powered by renewable energy generated next to the site."

(LM)