St Francis Solar PV Facility, United Kingdom | 4.3 MW Solar Farm

St Francis is a solar photovoltaic (PV) facility located in the United Kingdom, with an operational capacity of 4.3 MW. Owned by Lightsource Renewable Energy, a leading solar developer, the plant is part of the UK's growing solar portfolio. The facility is operational and contributes to the national grid. The UK solar sector operates under the Contracts for Difference (CfD) regime, which provides stable revenue for low-carbon electricity. Solar PV installations like St Francis benefit from falling technology costs and supportive policy frameworks, including the Smart Export Guarantee for smaller generators. The plant's capacity places it in the small-to-medium scale range for UK solar farms. St Francis supports the UK's transition to net-zero emissions by generating clean electricity, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Solar PV has minimal operational emissions and low water usage, though land use and visual impact are considerations. The facility plays a role in local renewable energy generation and grid decarbonization.

Solar PV facilities like St Francis have a low environmental footprint during operation, with no air emissions or water consumption. However, land use for solar arrays can affect local habitats and agricultural land. In the UK, solar farms are often sited on lower-grade agricultural land to minimize conflict. The facility's location in southeast England benefits from relatively high solar irradiance for the region.