Jersey Electricity (JE) and Jersey Royal Company (JRC), part of Albert Bartlett Group, will partner to deliver the Channel Islands’ largest rooftop solar array at JRC’s Peacock Farm in Trinity.
Under a long-term arrangement, JE will lease the Farm’s roof and build the solar array to generate local solar electricity which will be transported directly to the grid, ensuring all Islanders share in locally-produced, sustainable electricity.
The 850 kWp system will cover over 8000square metres of roof space and is expected to generate 935,000 units of electricity annually, the equivalent of 128 all-electric homes each year for at least the next 25 years.
Albert Bartlett Group CEO Alex Bartlet commented: ‘Two years into our relationship with JE we are delighted to be extending the scope and supporting the Island’s ambitious targets for locally generated solar power. Working in partnership with key stakeholders such as JE is central to our long-term plans on the Island.’
JE’s chief executive Chris Ambler said: ‘After a successful initial project, it is great to be partnering with Albert Bartlett on this second array which will be the largest in the Channel Islands by nearly 40%.
‘Locally-generated solar power continues to be an increasingly important part of our energy mix and it makes perfect sense to take advantage of larger sites such as this where we can achieve better economies of scale and more cost-effective energy production. Alongside two ground-mounted solar installations, we are currently developing two further rooftop solar projects, demonstrating that rooftop solar remains a crucial part of our solar activity.
‘These projects benefit customers across the Island by providing locally-generated reliable solar power over a 25-year period, with a largely known stable cost structure. They also contribute directly to Jersey’s ambitions for our energy independence, as outlined in the Island Plan and Carbon Neutral Roadmap.
Under the initial project with JE, Albert Bartlett’s potato processing plant on Trinity Hill has successfully generated 850,000 kWh units of electricity since 2023.
Work on the Peacock Farm solar installation, which will be JE’s 11th large-scale commercial rooftop array, is scheduled to start in the New Year, while JE’s rooftop installations at the Airport Cargo Shed and St Clement Parish Hall are due to start generating electricity before the end of the year.
JE has set the ambition to power 5,000 homes with locally-generated solar power by 2030 with an expectation that these facilities will be able to cover around 40% of the Islands peak summer demand for the next 25 years.
Once these projects are all generating power, JE’s commercial rooftop solar partnerships will generate enough electricity to power around 450 all-electric homes. With two new ground-mount solar sites due to be commissioned in the New Year, Jersey Electricity will be nearly 40% of the way to achieving its Solar 5000 ambition.
