OVO PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY ENERGY PROJECTS TO HELP PUSH FOR NET ZERO

Vodafone Signs Solar Ppa Covering

Its Uk Energy Requirements

Vodafone has signed a major corporate solar power purchase agreement (PPA) in the UK. The deal gives Vodafone access to clean, high quality and affordable renewable electricity in the UK for the next ten years, offering price certainty and improved energy security.

Community Energy England (CEE), a not for profit organisation, represents 310 community energy businesses and other stakeholder organisations who are delivering community-led renewable energy, energy demand reduction and energy advice services across England.

Through its principal supporter role, OVO aims to help projects secure additional revenue, by providing community energy organisations access to subsidy-free power purchase agreements (PPAs), which could make the difference between renewable energy developments going ahead or not.

OVO was the first supplier to commit funding to specifically support subsidy-free generation, designed to incentivise small-scale, independent wind and solar farms by offering an above-market price for the electricity they generate.

CEE says the initiative’s aim is to “create a thriving market that will directly drive new investment in renewable assets in the UK, supporting the UK’s net zero goals”.

The announcement follows the news of two deals to power thousands of homes. Last month, OVO signed two PPAs with new subsidy free onshore wind generators. It has also signed contracts to buy renewable electricity from Genatec’s Pond Farm Wind project and Ambition Community Energy C.I.C.

Stephen Harris, VP of Energy, OVO Energy, said: “We’re committed to supporting investment in renewable energy generation and community projects across the UK. I am delighted to partner with CEE and support new independent renewable generation, supporting the UK’s net zero goals and removing our reliance on a fossil fuel dominated energy system.”

Philip Coventry, head of operations at CEE, said: ”We’re looking forward to helping the OVO team with their initiatives to support the growth of community energy by providing the sector with more investment and enhanced levels of support. With ongoing cooperation we are confident that OVO’s engagement with community energy will facilitate new opportunities that will benefit the whole sector and its growth.”

In Europe, 100% of the grid electricity we use is matched with renewable energy certificates. Combined with agreements already in place, this new solar PPA means around 44% of our annual energy requirement in the UK will come from UK-based renewable power sources by 2025.

As part of the deal between Vodafone, Centrica as the power supplier and MYTILINEOS as the generator, five solar farms located in Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Buckinghamshire and Dorset, will generate 216 gigawatt hours of electricity and displace more than 53,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions each year. That is the equivalent of taking around 31,400 cars off the road. The solar farm builds will start in 2023, with energy generation expected from early 2024.

Vodafone will purchase a significant proportion of the electricity generated by the farms, securing their development and bringing additional power provision to the UK grid. The remainder will be sold through Centrica’s Energy Marketing & Trading business.

The news follows an announcement from Vodafone UK last year to purchase a significant proportion of power from three new UK solar farms. The first of these is now fully operational, with the others to follow in the coming months. Combined with two onshore wind farms, in Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire, we have secured access to renewable power from 10 sites across the UK.