Manchester strikes solar deal to reduce carbon emissions
Under a virtual power purchase agreement, the city council will purchase its electricity at a fixed price from AGR Power’s soon-to-be-built solar farm in Lincolnshire.
Manchester City Council has been pursuing making the renewable energy switch for years, initially hoping to purchase its own solar farm and allocating up to £30m for the initiative. However, those plans were ditched in February last year after councillors deemed it an unsuitable investment due to the number of risks identified.
The deal between AGR and the city council is to last 15 years. Having the local authority on board will help progress the construction of the 240-acre solar farm, situated at Bicker Fen. The scheme already has planning permission and is set to be operational by September next year.
In addition to 35GWh a year of renewable energy, the city council has secured a series of social value commitments from AGR. This includes the power provider supporting the We Love Manchester charity.
Tyndall Centre for Climate Research and Ernst & Young advised the city council on the deal.
Cllr Tracey Rawlins, the executive member for the environment at the council, described why the agreement was a good one for the local authority.
“It’s good for the Council and Manchester people – saving money and improving our energy security – and crucially it’s good for the planet at the same time, enabling us to save more than 20,000 tonnes of harmful carbon emissions,” she said.
“I also welcome the fact that AGR Power have embraced our requirement that council spending generates extra benefits for Manchester people.”
As for AGR, founder Oliver Breidt said: “AGR is incredibly proud to work with Manchester City Council on a landmark agreement to support the decarbonisation of one of UK’s largest cities and providing support to local communities.
“The agreement is an important cornerstone in our own development to become a key power provider to UK cities, councils, and businesses, which are committed to reducing their energy costs and carbon footprint.”
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And people wonder why this Government is land grabbing family owned farms. Can’t think why?
By Anonymous
The government is not land grabbing family owned farms! Take your tin foil hat off.
By Anonymous
This is an excellent idea, proud of my city
By Julius
Land grabbing family farms? I think it’s more to do with closing a loophole that allows wealthy, non-farming individuals and organisations to buy land simply to avoid paying IHT. If there is a perverse element to the proposals it’s that it would force a small proportion of family farms to sell parcels of land to larger landowners in order to pay the new tax.
Anyway outside of that, this looks like a great initiative, economical and environmentally friendly.
By Anonymous
At anonymous 12:56pm, there’s no land grabbing, people need to pay their fair share of tax, the fact that certain people haven’t been is why this country is in debt. Many farms generate green energy as a way of boosting their income, which can only be a good thing.
By GetItBuilt!
Does the electricity get routed from Lincolnshire to Manchester or is this just creative accountancy?
By Anonymous
Many people pay more than their fair share, me included, it’s an unjust society where you get punished for being one of the good ones.
By Anonymous
Who knew farms are exempt from inheritance tax, no wonder millionaire TV celebrities buy them. This loophole needed closing.
By Anonymous
How much is this costing the tax payer? Fixed priced virtual PPAs are typically very expensive.
By Anon
Solar farms or local sustainable food production? You can’t have both
By Eco realist
So is the actual electricity going to be generated in Lincolshire and then transported via copper cables to Manchester ? What utter stupidity . They have ignored the fact that massive amounts of the energy generated will be lost by transferring it so far . Do the geniuses of Manchester City Council not realise that the further that the electricity is transported the more is lost ? They should be buying electricity generated in Greater Manchester . This is so typical of the humongous cost of the climate change scam and all the consultants and ” experts ” that make a very handy pile of cash from this fraudulent debacle .
By Anonymous
Perhaps anon 3.02 needs to understand a bit more about how the electricity network operates before making such sweeping criticisms.
Electricity enters the network where it is generated and leaves it where it is used irrespective of who pays for it. It is driven by physics not commerce. The contractual arrangement between the supplier and consumer does not affect where the electrons actually travel. Grid losses are relatively small anyway. I dont think he / she understands what they are talking about
By Anon