Pomona’s first 140 kW solar array was commissioned on 23rd June on time and on budget, a feather in the cap of any engineering project. The Pomona board are also delighted to announce that the array is now feeding power to Hereford Casks, a local company making casks for the independent brewing industry. Chris Strange, Owner of Hereford Casks says “The scheme will help our business, because we will be able to buy some of our electricity from the solar cooperative more cheaply than we buy it from the grid”.
The Stoke Edith based, community energy project is building 250 kW of ground mounted solar PV. The scheme is on target to complete the final 3 sections, which will follow Western Power’s upgrade of the main grid transformer. This final phase will result in the supply of solar electricity to two more local businesses.
The Pomona board are dedicated to supporting the local community and will be endowing a community fund using some of the scheme’s profit. This will provide approximately £1000 pa to be distributed to local good causes. Some profit will also go to shareholders in the form of interest, projected to average approximately 6% over 20 years, and repayment of share capital.
As a co-operative, the scheme embodies all the international co-operative values of democracy, equality, community engagement, education and open membership.