The team behind Creacombe Solar Farm combines many years of professional expertise and experience working in renewable energy with an unshakeable commitment to community-owned and supported projects.

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HARRY LOPES

Not only did Harry grow up at Gnaton, where Creacombe solar farm will be built, but he has been working at the forefront of the renewable energy industry in the UK and overseas for many years. His passion for developing lower cost and cleaner methods of electricity generation, which prioritise biodiversity and work closely with communities, led him to set up the award-winning company Solstice Renewables.

Harry’s community energy experience includes:

• Solstice Renewables, founded and run by Harry, built up a reputation as an industry-leader for its sensitive designs, commitment to biodiversity and excellent community engagement. It won the 2015 Solar Power Portal award for best ground-mount solar project for Manor Farm, Verwood, and was shortlisted for best community benefits for its unique educational initiatives. The judges commended the project for its discreet, position with optimum generation capacity, implementing industry-leading biodiversity and ecological measures on low-grade land, with exceptionally good community benefits and excellent support from local people.  East Dorset’s planning committee commented it was unusual for such an application to be so well received, saying: “The environmental side has been very well thought through.”
• Southill Community Energy, Oxfordshire - pro bono work advising the community group on development and funding a 4.5 MW community solar farm, in David Cameron’s constituency.
• Meadow Blue Community Energy, Sussex - developed the 5 MW Merston solar farm with Solstice and helped the community group acquire the project.
• Lancashire Wildlife Trust – working with Solstice, developed a 5MW solar farm near Tyldesley, which aims to be built as a community-owned project.
• 10:10, the climate change action charity - pro bono work on development board advising about renewables and community action  
• Community Energy England – invited to speak at the AGM on the commercial aspects of community owned solar
• Sharing expertise in biodiversity management – offers pro bono advice to non-profit groups in Europe and US about best practice in biodiversity management
• Open Utility - Gnaton Farms 50kW solar array was included in a pilot programme for local sale of solar electricity
• International charity and energy regulator visit to Solstice site to learn best practice 

sophy fearnley-whittingstall

Sophy is passionate about influencing change and empowering ethical organisations to make a difference to their communities and to the wider world. She has worked with Harry on all the Solstice Renewables sites and on several other innovative community renewable projects. 

Sophy’s community energy experience includes:

• Wiltshire Wildlife Community Energy – helped raise £3 million with a community share offer through Ethex to build Braydon Manor solar farm (9.3 MW), near Swindon
• Swindon Borough Council and Abundance Investment - launched the UK’s first council solar bonds (and ISA-eligible investments) to fund two 5 MW community solar farms on council-owned land near Swindon
• Southill Community Energy – helped them raise £3 million with a community share offer to build a 4.5MW solar farm near Charlbury, Oxfordshire
• Small Wind Coop – helped them raise over £1.4 million to build three community-owned small-scale wind turbines in Wales and Scotland.

PETER BROWN 

Peter is the Chair of Yealm Community Energy. He became aware of the heath consequences of climate change shortly before retiring as an NHS Consultant. He quickly became convinced of the need for serious carbon reduction at all levels.  Having moved to Devon in 2005, he set up an educational environment group, which soon expanded into projects, encouraging local people to increase the energy efficiency of their houses and to install renewable energy systems. Inevitably he wanted to generate renewable energy on a small commercial scale for the community. Peter, as Chairman of  YCE, brings the necessary drive and enthusiasm to encourage volunteers to give up their valuable time for the common good and zero carbon.

RAY HOLLAND

Ray is a Director and Company Secretary of Yealm Community Energy. He is a chartered electrical engineer, trained at the Royal Naval Engineering College,  Manadon, Plymouth and has spent the last 30 years managing programmes of renewable energy projects and energy policy in Africa, Asia and Latin America, including managing a small consulting firm, and an EU programme that set up the current Africa-EU Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme. Much of this work involved local communities owning their own electricity supplies, so he is keen to apply lessons from this experience in his own community in South Devon.

Read more about the other Yealm Community Energy Board Members.

endorsements

Als Parker, founder and director Southill Community Energy, owner of the 4.5MW Southill solar farm, Charlbury, Oxfordshire:

“Southill Solar farm has really brought the community together; we are now proud to be generating enough power for 3 parishes from a beautiful site that is also a wildlife haven and will generate a community fund of over £750,000. We’d like to thank Harry for his invaluable pro-bono advice on developing the project and Sophy for her experience and expertise with the fund-raising.”

Chris Rowland, director Ovesco and Meadow Blue, community owner of 5MW Merston solar farm, Sussex, developed by Harry with Solstice Renewables:

“Meadow Blue Community Energy, Ovesco and the wider local community are thrilled with Merston solar farm, which we completed in 2016. The community benefit fund will provide funding to local causes to the tune of nearly £4m over the 25 years operation of the solar farm, while investors are getting a return of up to 7%.

"Harry, Sophy and the team patiently helped us throughout a difficult transaction with tight deadlines due to the government Feed in Tariff cuts and were great to work with. The project they developed was very carefully designed, with fantastic biodiversity. 

"We would encourage all communities to develop their own renewable energy assets and take control of their energy generation.”

Howard Johns, founder national solar company Southern Solar, founder Ovesco, former chair Solar Trade Association, leading international community energy advocate and pioneer, chairman of trustees for climate change action charity 10:10 and author of The Energy Revolution:

“We can all play a vital role in the energy revolution and help change the world for the better, one community at a time.

"And you couldn’t have better partners to do it with than Harry and his team. They are among the most experienced people working in solar and have earned the trust and respect of the community groups they have worked with.

"The care and attention taken on ongoing management, in particular the emphasis on continued agriculture and biodiversity, have set a new standard for the industry. Having worked with Harry at the charity 10:10, I know that he brings not only considerable technical expertise in renewable energy but is also passionate about the benefits it brings to communities and tackling climate change.”