A Somerset solar farm, established following a fundraising campaign by villagers, is celebrating its tenth anniversary.
Wedmore Community Power Co-operative (WCPC) has 4000 solar panels on the edge of the village.
The site became operational in 2013 and has since produced more than 10,000 megawatt hours which is sold to renewable electricity company Good Energy to supply its customers with clean, green power.
The surplus from the operation is returned to the community in the form of grants, raising £100,000 for local good causes and sustainability projects.
WCPC sold shares to raise the £1.2m required for the installation and today the group has around 230 members, including many Wedmore residents.
The solar panels are split across two paddocks to the north of the village and screened by hedges.
They are mounted at a height that allows sheep to graze underneath, maintaining the value of the land for pasture as well as providing the animals with welcome shelter from the sun and the rain.
Co-operative chairman Chris Jonas said: “We would like to thank everyone who has supported us over the last 10 years, not only the investors but also the wider community who helped to make our dream a reality.
“Working together, we are proud to be playing our part in the transition to a more sustainable future and raising awareness of the importance of renewable energy.
“One of our key aims was to reinvest the surplus back into Wedmore and we’ve been delighted by the results.
“Over the last 10 years we’ve made around 50 grants to a wide variety of charities and organisations, ranging from £250 to £5000.
“Beneficiaries include Wedmore Scouts, Wedmore Cricket Club, Wedmore Bowls Club, Wedmore in Bloom and two of our local schools, together with grants for energy-saving measures such as solar panels for three of our local village halls.
“Everyone has benefitted from the solar farm – the people and the planet.”
Good Energy sales director Tom Parsons said: “The climate emergency means it’s more important than ever that we switch to cleaner and cheaper electricity instead of relying on polluting and expensive fossil fuels.
“Wedmore CPC have proved that solar farms can play a major role in improving our energy security, without damaging the countryside or reducing farmland, and they’re raising significant sums for their local community too.
“They deserve praise for their achievements, and we look forward to working with them for many more years to come.”