{"id":1565,"date":"2023-03-09T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-09T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/?p=1565"},"modified":"2023-03-09T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T00:00:00","slug":"climate-change-minister-officially-opens-university-s-green-electricity-solar-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/?p=1565","title":{"rendered":"Climate Change Minister officially opens University\u2019s solar development"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\ufeff<\/p>\n<p><meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no\"><meta http-equiv=\"X-UA-Compatible\" content=\"IE=edge\"><meta name=\"format-detection\" content=\"telephone=no\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><title>Climate Change Minister officially opens University\u2019s green electricity solar development<\/title><meta name=\"description\" content=\"\"><meta name=\"keywords\" content=\"\"><meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index,follow\"><meta name=\"googlebot\" content=\"index,follow\"><meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\"><meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Climate Change Minister officially opens University\u2019s green electricity solar development\"><meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"\"><meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"website\"><meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.vitalenergi.co.uk\/media\/press-releases\/climate-change-minister-officially-opens-university-s-green-electricity-solar-development\/\"><meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Climate Change Minister officially opens University\u2019s green electricity solar development\"><meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"rich-text-case-study rte\">\n<div class=\"wrap rich-text-case-study__wrap\">\n<h2 class=\"rich-text-case-study__title rte__title\">Climate Change Minister officially opens University\u2019s green electricity solar development<\/h2>\n<p>A solar array producing at least a quarter of the electricity required by Aberystwyth University\u2019s Penglais Campus has been officially opened today (Thursday 9 March 2023) by the Welsh Government Minister for Climate Change, Julie James MS.<\/p>\n<p>The green electricity development is expected to reduce the University\u2019s carbon emissions by over 500 tonnes a year as well as deliver annual energy cost savings of over \u00a3450,000 based on current prices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-text-image rte\" data-anchor=\"\">\n<div class=\"wrap rich-text-image__wrap\">\n<div class=\"rich-text-image__img-holder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rich-text-image__img\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vitalenergi.co.uk\/media\/m2sj3dpf\/082_ffmpenglais_pv.jpg?anchor=center&amp;mode=crop&amp;width=835&amp;height=474&amp;rnd=133231907147470000\" alt=\"082 Ffmpenglais PV\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitalenergi.co.uk\/javascript:\" class=\"js-read-more-rte read-more-btn\">Solution detail<span class=\"btn__link font-ico-plus\"><\/span><span class=\"btn__link font-ico-minus\"><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-text-case-study rte\">\n<div class=\"wrap rich-text-case-study__wrap\">\n<p>Covering 3.8 hectares of land belonging to the University on Fferm Penglais, the array includes around 4,500 individual solar panels.<\/p>\n<p>Construction on the site has also included work to encourage greater biodiversity in surrounding hedgerows and drainage basins. With the development now fully operational, sheep can continue to graze the pasture around the panels.<\/p>\n<p>The \u00a32.9m investment has been supported by the Welsh Government Energy Service and funded by a \u00a32.6m loan from Welsh Government via Salix Finance Ltd and the University, with support from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW).<\/p>\n<p>Minister for Climate Change, Julie James said: \u201cI am delighted Aberystwyth University have progressed this solar development. The technical support from Welsh Government\u2019s Energy Service and zero interest finance from the Wales Funding Programme operated on Welsh Government\u2019s behalf by Salix Finance Ltd, has been vital to deliver the scheme.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"quote\">\n<div class=\"wrap quote__wrap\">\n<div class=\"swiper-container js-simple-quotes\">\n<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"swiper-slide\">\n<div class=\"quote__holder\"><span class=\"quote__icon\"> <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"36\" height=\"28\" viewbox=\"0 0 36 28\"><g fill=\"#F58220\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M12.319 0h3.648a2 2 0 0 1 1.838 2.788l-10.286 24A2 2 0 0 1 5.681 28H2.033a2 2 0 0 1-1.838-2.788l10.286-24A2 2 0 0 1 12.319 0zM30.319 0h3.648a2 2 0 0 1 1.838 2.788l-10.286 24A2 2 0 0 1 23.681 28h-3.648a2 2 0 0 1-1.838-2.788l10.286-24A2 2 0 0 1 30.319 0z\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg> <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"quote__holder\">\n<p class=\"quote__text\">At times of high electricity prices, the return on this investment will be even greater than first envisaged. The way the scheme has delivered demonstrates once again that investing in clean energy can result in financial and carbon savings whilst enhancing biodiversity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"quote__author\">Julie James , <span class=\"quote__position\"> Minister for Climate Change<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-text-case-study rte\">\n<div class=\"wrap rich-text-case-study__wrap\">\n<p>Professor Neil Glasser, Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Earth &amp; Life Sciences at Aberystwyth University, said: \u201cAs a University we are committed to tackle the challenges of climate change in as many ways as possible. We do so not only through our research and teaching but also through our strategic institutional aims. This solar array marks another key milestone towards the University\u2019s aim of becoming a zero-carbon estate by 2030\/31 and we are grateful to all those involved in this important development.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mark Williams, Partnerships Director at Vital Energi said: \u201cIt\u2019s a privilege to work alongside public sector organisations, such as Aberystwyth University, to help them meet their net zero targets and we\u2019re delighted the first two phases of our work with them have had such a positive impact with respect to reducing both their emissions and their energy bills.\u00a0 The solar array was a significant investment by the University to deliver an innovative project and we\u2019re sure it will be an inspiration to other organisations looking to decarbonise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-text-image rte\" data-anchor=\"\">\n<div class=\"wrap rich-text-image__wrap\">\n<div class=\"rich-text-image__img-holder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rich-text-image__img\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vitalenergi.co.uk\/media\/rxphgkkb\/018_ffmpenglais_pv.jpg?anchor=center&amp;mode=crop&amp;width=835&amp;height=474&amp;rnd=133231907136830000\" alt=\"018 Ffmpenglais PV\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitalenergi.co.uk\/javascript:\" class=\"js-read-more-rte read-more-btn\">Solution detail<span class=\"btn__link font-ico-plus\"><\/span><span class=\"btn__link font-ico-minus\"><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-text-case-study rte\">\n<div class=\"wrap rich-text-case-study__wrap\">\n<p>Joan Dayap, Programme Manager, Wales Team Salix Finance said: \u201cSalix are proud to be supporting Aberystwyth University in decarbonising its estate with \u00a32.6m of funding from the Wales Funding Programme, delivered in partnership with the Welsh Government and the Welsh Government Energy Service. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitalenergi.co.uk\/solar-panels\/\">Solar PV<\/a> array will generate financial savings for the University of over \u00a3450,000 at current energy prices and more than 500 tonnes of carbon annually. The University is a brilliant example of the innovative work taking place across the education sector in Wales, playing a crucial role in the nation\u2019s journey towards net zero.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Over the past 10 years, Aberystwyth University has reduced its CO2 emissions by over 40 per cent and in 2019, the institution made a formal climate emergency declaration.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the solar project at Fferm Penglais, the University has been working closely with the Welsh Government Energy Service which has provided a range of technical and commercial support to help identify, develop and deliver suitable green projects.<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, the University joined a consortium of UK universities to strike a \u00a350m landmark green energy deal &#8211; the first time public energy users had collaborated on a deal of this kind to buy clean electricity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ufeff Climate Change Minister officially opens University\u2019s green electricity solar development Climate Change Minister officially opens University\u2019s green electricity solar development A solar array producing at least a quarter of the electricity required by Aberystwyth University\u2019s Penglais Campus has been officially opened today (Thursday 9 March 2023) by the Welsh Government Minister for Climate Change, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":89,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"ve_media_section":[3],"ve_media_year":[4],"ve_sector":[],"class_list":["post-1565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","ve_media_section-press-releases","ve_media_year-4"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1565","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1565"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1565\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/89"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1565"},{"taxonomy":"ve_media_section","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fve_media_section&post=1565"},{"taxonomy":"ve_media_year","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fve_media_year&post=1565"},{"taxonomy":"ve_sector","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vitalenergi.creativespark.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fve_sector&post=1565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}