A new solar project at Welsh Water’s Five Fords wastewater treatment works in Wrexham, north-east Wales will see a five-fold increase in solar energy powering the site.
An additional 40,000 solar panels will be placed close to the treatment works, in addition to the 10,000 already on site, complimenting existing biomethane production and Combined Heat and Power engines.
Together this will equate to around 8% of Welsh Water’s annual electricity and gas use – or enough energy to power around 4,500 homes.
Welsh Water will collaborate with Innova Renewables on the project, the renewable energy company developing the site. Innova already has an extensive portfolio of Solar assets across England and Wales.
Energy self-sufficiency is a big part of Welsh Water’s target to reach Net-Zero by 2040. The company is also looking to cut the amount that it spends on power to ensure value for money for bill payers.
The Five Fords site processes the wastewater of around 180,000 customers from across north Wales. Over the past few years Welsh Water has invested £36m to turn it into a model green energy site.
Five Fords is the most diverse renewable energy site in the sector, utilising multiple innovative energy technologies including “poo power”, renewable gas fuel created from sewage sludge through utilising bacteria to produce methane from digesting the sewage in large, warm, tanks without oxygen. This allows the bacteria to thrive and maximise energy production – a process called anaerobic digestion.
Andrew Dixon, Head of Energy Efficiency at Welsh Water said: “In 2015, we shared our vision for the Five Fords site to become an ‘energy park’, starting with technology to turn biomethane into energy that feeds into the national grid, and going on to pioneer multiple renewable energy technologies for the benefit of the environment.
“This solar development is a major step towards Welsh Water becoming self-sufficient in our energy needs, reducing our carbon footprint and adding to the innovative technologies already on site. With the introduction of this technology, Five Fords will be producing around 8% of Welsh Water’s annual energy demand for electricity and gas which is major progress for our journey to Net Zero.”