Jersey is about to get a little greener
Jersey Electricity announces plans to install 170 solar panels to take advantage of the gorgeous weather that hits the island, and help the environment.
The plans show the first solar PV car port installation that will feed directly into the grid, meaning that every resident will share in the domestically generated clean energy, and reduce their carbon footprint that little bit further. The total energy generated could power 21 domestic homes using an average 7,200 units a year, or propel a Nissan Leaf for 630,000 miles.
The installations would be built on the south side of Queen’s Road car park which is currently the space for visitors to B&Q, and take up a total of just 22 car park spaces.
How does solar power work?
Solar energy works by capturing the sun’s energy and turning it into electricity. A 2017 report from the International Energy Agency shows that solar has become the world’s fastest-growing source of power – marking the first time that solar energy’s growth has surpassed that of all other fuels. In the coming years, we will all be enjoying the benefits of solar-generated electricity in one way or another.
When photons hit a solar cell, they knock electrons loose from their atoms. If conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides of a cell, it forms an electrical circuit. When electrons flow through such a circuit, they generate electricity. The more panels you can deploy, the more energy you can expect to generate.
Looking forward
“This latest solar endeavour is the next of a series that we are looking at that will diversify energy sources to include local renewables. Jersey already benefits from an almost completely decarbonised power supply, a third of which is already from renewable hydroelectric sources. Solar PV, however, is becoming more economical and sits comfortably alongside our existing imported decarbonised power.” Says Jersey Electric CEO Chris Ambler.
“We installed our own array on the powerhouse six years ago from which we have learned a great deal, and last year announced plans to facilitate a larger scale pilot export-only, ground-mounted solar farm which is progressing.”
As a leading example of environmental preservation and climate change prevention, this is just another step forward for Jersey towards being completely sustainable, and helping change the world just a little bit at a time. As residents, we should be proud of what our island is managing to achieve in such a short space of time.