Land at Woodhouse Farm Solar PV Facility, United Kingdom

Land at Woodhouse Farm is a solar photovoltaic (PV) facility located in the United Kingdom, with a capacity of 5 megawatts (MW). Developed by Lightsource Renewable Energy, the plant is operational and feeds clean electricity into the national grid. This scale places it within the small-to-medium range for UK solar farms, which typically range from 1 MW to 50 MW. The facility operates under the UK's regulatory framework, which includes the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme and the Renewables Obligation (RO). These mechanisms provide price support for low-carbon generation, encouraging investment in solar PV. The UK has seen significant solar growth, with over 14 GW installed capacity as of 2023, driven by falling costs and supportive policies. Environmentally, Land at Woodhouse Farm contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and diversifying the UK's energy mix. Solar PV has a low operational carbon footprint and minimal water use. The site's location in a rural area may involve land-use considerations, but solar farms can coexist with agricultural activities through agrivoltaic practices.

The UK's solar PV sector benefits from moderate solar irradiance, with typical capacity factors around 10-12%. Land at Woodhouse Farm occupies agricultural land, which raises considerations for land-use competition. However, solar farms can be designed to support biodiversity through wildflower meadows and pollinator habitats. The facility avoids emissions equivalent to thousands of tonnes of CO2 annually, supporting the UK's net-zero target by 2050.