Sonnedix Group today announced the start of construction of the Grove Farm solar plant in Tolland, Somerset, in the west of England. The 4 megawatt (MW) (DC) solar power plant is being built by juwi Renewable Energies Ltd, which has a solid track record of building solar plants in the UK. The solar power plant will meet annual electricity needs of more than 1,260 homes, using polycrystalline modules and utility class inverters.

“As a global solar independent power producer owning a fleet of operational plants in Continental Europe, we are pleased to add the United Kingdom to our portfolio”, said Sonnedix President Franck Constant. “We are confident that this project, our first in the UK, will serve as a strong base for our strategy of developing and building utility-size world-class solar farms in the UK to meet the country’s objective of decarbonisation and security of its electricity supply. It is our view that solar PV will become an important power source in the UK.”

Covering around 9 hectares, the Grove Farm solar plant, made of 13,100 solar panels, is expected to generate more than 4,156 megawatt hours of clean, green electricity per year, offsetting carbon dioxide emissions of more than 2,252 tons a year. Completion of the plant is expected in the first half of 2015.