Work starts on chichester solar farm

Work starts on chichester solar farm

Chichester Organic farmers and recyclers, The Woodhorn Group, are delighted to announce that work has started on their Solar Farm near Oving.

Planning consent was granted in April 2011 with considerable support from the local community but the project was put on hold due to the Government’s change in support for renewable energy schemes. John Pitts, Managing Director of The Woodhorn Group said: “We have found a way forward without using the Government’s Feed in Tariff Scheme and are delighted to finally get this project under way.”

The solar farm will produce 5 Megawatts of electricity from the sun which is enough to power around 1400 homes via the national grid, as well as the Woodhorn Group’s offices, workshops and grain stores.

John Pitts said: “ Being organic farmers I am delighted that we will be producing a source of green power which fits in entirely with our overall ethos,”

The Woodhorn Group recycles green garden waste and wood waste from many of West Sussex County Council’s household waste sites and garden waste collected by Chichester and Arun District Council’s ‘green bin’ schemes.  As part of an overall commitment to environmental issues The Woodhorn group has a long term goal of achieving a zero carbon footprint.

John Pitts added: “This will be another significant step in the right direction. I am pretty sure that we will also be the first recycling business in the UK to be using solar power. I hope that is something that everyone in West Sussex can be proud of!”.

About The Woodhorn Group

An organic tenanted dairy farming business based in Oving, now run by John Pitts, has been managed by the Pitts family since 1882. John diversified into composting and recycling in 1998.

The compost site now recycles some 40000 tons of green and wood waste,

 that would otherwise be landfilled, on behalf of West Sussex County Council, Arun and Chichester District Councils under the Reclaim West Sussex partnership in conjunction with Viridor Waste Management. Waste for recycling also comes from local horticultural nurseries, landscape gardeners and many other local businesses.

Woodhorn subsequently produce a range of peat free composts and soil conditioners, which are retailed under their Earth Cycle range.  For more information on these products visit www.earthcycle.co.uk or telephone 01243 781730