Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has opened a solar farm the size of 36 football pitches at its Gaydon headquarters as part of efforts to increase its energy independence.
The 26-hectare, 18MW site can generate enough electricity to power a third of the British firm’s base. The site is home to JLR’s design, engineering and R&D teams.
It is part of a move from JLR to source at least 30% of its global energy use from on-site renewables, while also reducing its reliance on grid energy – and therefore fluctuating energy costs – and improving its environmental impact.
A similar project is being completed at its Wolverhampton Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre. There, one of the UK’s largest rooftop arrays, featuring more than 18,000 panels, will open in the coming months.
This will be able to generate around 9500 MWh of energy each year, meeting 40% of the site’s needs.
Next year, the marque will install 10MW of solar car ports at its Merseyside site. These include canopies and solar walkways – structures like these are quite common in hotter countries, such as Spain. They will mostly provide energy for EV charging.
JLR’s chief sustainability officer Andrea Debbane said the steps were “important”. She added: “They directly reduce our global operational emissions and help move us closer to our net zero goal, whilst delivering tangible value today and for the long-term.”
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As an FA approved football pitch is not a standard size, but can be anything from 4180 (ish) sq m. to 5434 (about) sq m. the use of a "football pitch" as a measure of area has no meaning at all. Do try harder.
Neither does foot for the vast majority of the world.
A few years ago JLR built a 52 acre / 21 hectare car park on farmland in Staffordshire where I live, to store unsold vehicles. Its a shame JLR couldn't have combined the two, cars parked below, solar panels raised above. It's feasible and often done in Europe.
I think solar panels should be made mandatory on factory and warehouse roofs before we allow any more farmland to be destroyed / lost.
a hospital car park near me has recently covered all its car park woth solar panels over the spaces, seems a great idea the cars under stay cooler and solar generation.
Im also quite anti putting solar on farmland when there are millions of roofs that could have it added, but I read a report recently about how it better for grazing fields and nature as the fields don't get as baked under direct sun, it provides sheep shade, and more biodiversity.