A new 30,000-panel solar farm has been opened in Bedfordshire.

The 45-acre Clayhill solar farm near Flitwick was built by Anesco and can generate enough electricity to power 2,500 homes.

It is the first in the UK to be built and operated without a Government subsidy, following a fall in the cost of solar panels by two thirds since 2010.

The Clayhill development features five battery storage units which help maximise the usable output from renewable power sources such as solar, which generates different amounts of energy depending on the weather.

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Overall, the UK's solar industry has installed 12 12GW of solar capacity across the country.

Speaking at the opening ceremony today, 26 September, Minister for Climate Change and Industry Claire Perry said: "The cost of solar panels and batteries has fallen dramatically over the past few years, and this first subsidy-free development at Clayhill is a significant moment for clean energy in the UK.

"Solar panels already provide enough electricity to power 2.7 million homes with 99% of that capacity installed since 2010.

"The Government is determined to build on this success and our ambitious Clean Growth Strategy will ensure we continue to lead the world on the transition to a low carbon economy."

Steve Shine OBE, Anesco's Executive Chairman, said: "For the solar industry, Clayhill is a landmark development and paves the way for a sustainable future, where subsidies are no longer needed or relied upon. Importantly, it proves that the Government's decision to withdraw subsidies doesn't have to signal the end of solar as a commercially viable technology."

(LM/MH)