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Four new solar panels have been installed at La Mare Wine Estate to demonstrate the benefits of the technology and provide sustainable energy to the venue.
Jersey Electricity said the ground-mount installation will also support eco-tourism and lead the way in exploring which crops grow best around solar panels locally.
Producing approximately 2,550 kWh per year, the energy from the four solar panels will help power the wine estate.
The array will also form part of La Mare's walking tour to allow visitors to see the technology firsthand.
The panels will be surrounded by a wildflower meadow to encourage wildlife and pollinators.
Pictured top: James King, Solar PV Project Manager at Jersey Electricity and La Mare Wine Estate’s MD Tim Crowley at the demonstration site.
Jersey Electricity said they will use the solar array to provide stakeholders with a greater understanding of ground-mount solar panels and their size and to demonstrate to prospective farming partners how the panels can work alongside agriculture.
Tim Crowley, Managing Director of La Mare Vineyards, said: "For the past two decades La Mare has been a leader in green business practice so this new partnership is a very natural one for us and we are delighted to be working with such a passionate team who share the same values for a sustainable and greener island for us all."
Jersey Electricity CEO Mark Preece said: "It is an exciting time in Jersey's locally-generated renewable energy journey and this first phase in our partnership with La Mare Wine Estate has many benefits.
"We are excited that these four panels give us the opportunity to dispel myths around ground-mount solar – for example that no light passes through and farming and wildlife can't flourish around the panels – and to show future potential partners what a ground-mount site could look like if they decided to work with us on a ground-mount project."
The installation at La Mare Wine Estate is part of Jersey Electricity's broader efforts to expand solar energy production in the island.
The company is currently developing larger ground-mount solar projects in St Clement, St John, and St Mary which will be exported to the grid for the benefit of all islanders.
Jersey Electricity and the team at La Mare Wine Estate spoke about how the project will help the venue boost its eco-tourism aims while sharing the benefits of ground-mount solar with stakeholders.
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