Solar farm project now providing enough clean energy for 8,000 UK homes

The Bracks Solar Farm project is now operating at 100% capacity, providing enough clean energy to supply 8,000 UK households per year.

 Bracks Solar Farm, which is located approximately 2km to the east of Wicken in Cambridgeshire, has achieved commercial operations, with a capacity of 30MWp.

John Milligan, managing director at BayWa r.e. UK Ltd, said solar farms like Bracks are "essential" to achieve the UK's goal of net-zero carbon by 2050 and ensure homes and businesses can be powered by clean, renewable, and domestically generated energy. 

"The successful commercial operation of Bracks Solar Farm is testament to the hard work put in by our team," he added. 

"With a development pipeline of 2GW across solar, wind and storage projects, we are looking forward to delivering more projects over the coming years.”

Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, warned the costs of the climate emergency will be many times worse in the future "if we do not rapidly accelerate our transition to renewable energy". 

"As Mayor I’m proud of the Combined Authority’s work enabling the transport, skills, housing and other infrastructure needed for a net zero carbon future and am hugely encouraged to see this solar farm now working at full capacity,” he said.  

 Bracks Solar Farm is one of a number of renewable energy investments to receive investment from Railpen. 

Other investments for the firm include Tralorg and Carraig Cheal wind farms and the recent investment in battery energy storage with Constantine Energy Storage. 

Across renewable energy sites, Railpen now supports the supply of over 200,000 UK homes.

 Anna Rule, head of real assets at Railpen, said as the world navigates the challenges of climate change, the urgency to transition towards cleaner energy sources has becomes "more apparent than ever". 

"We recognise the dual purpose of investing in projects such as the Bracks Solar Farm," she said.

"First, by investing funds into wind, solar, biomass and battery storage projects, we’re actively participating in the UKs green energy transition. 

"Second, investing in UK property and infrastructure is driven our belief that real estate is an enabler of economic growth. 

"Pension funds, like the railways pension schemes, see the opportunity to support the UK’s green transition as one which not only supports the financial goals of the scheme, but has far-reaching benefits to the UK economy, communities, and the world around us.”