Oxfordshire County Council is set to consider the next stage of a potential purchase of a solar farm that could help power its operations, support its net zero ambitions and generate long-term income for local services.
At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 14 July, councillors will be asked to approve progressing to the due diligence stage of acquiring a solar farm at an undisclosed location within the county.
The proposal will be discussed in a private session because the council says commercially sensitive details, including the location and purchase price, must remain confidential until investigations are complete. If due diligence is successful, the proposal would return to cabinet for a public decision.
The council says the acquisition would be funded through borrowing, with revenue generated by the solar farm expected to cover financing costs while also providing additional income for council services over the lifetime of the project.
Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, said the proposal could deliver both environmental and financial benefits.
“This scheme would involve an up-front cost but it would be covered by the amount of money it would generate for the council while at the same time making a material contribution to our own future carbon management.
“This combination of support for the council’s climate objectives and the prospect of long-term financial returns is why we want to look further into progressing the potential scheme. There would be future opportunities for the council and the taxpayer to avoid costs.”
Although the solar farm would export electricity to the National Grid rather than supplying power directly to nearby communities, planning conditions require the developer to provide community benefit funding. The council says this funding would support local groups, education projects and related initiatives.
If acquired, the solar farm is expected to generate around 52,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable electricity each year. The council estimates this would offset approximately 2,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) by 2030 and between 25,000 and 36,000 tonnes over the lifetime of the project.
Councillor Laura Gordon, Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy, said the proposal would support the authority’s ambition to reach net zero by 2030.
“Oxfordshire County Council has set ambitious climate targets. This purchase would enable us to generate renewable energy exceeding our own expected usage and keep us on track to reach net zero by 2030. We are already seeing the effects of climate change in weather patterns and we need to explore all options to reduce emissions.”
Should cabinet approve the recommendation, officers will begin detailed due diligence before the proposal returns for a final public decision. Until then, the council says details of the potential acquisition will remain confidential for commercial reasons.
