A grand array out: Lightsource bp takes their lockdown hires to one of its UK solar farms

Breaking free from lockdown rules – finally.

Last week, more than 60 members of our team set off from our London office on what was the first site visit for many of our new joiners since the UK lockdown began. Since the start of the pandemic, Lightsource bp has onboarded over 190 team members in 2022 alone, who hadn’t had a chance to visit one of our sites, until now…

The team travelled to Manor Farm, a site on the outskirts of the idyllic village of Eggington, east of Leighton Buzzard. The 7MWp site, enough to power 1,944 homes annually, is nestled among neighbouring fields used primarily for cattle and sheep rearing.?The visit was a chance for the team to see an operational solar project up close.

Love at first sight

For many this was their first visit to a solar farm, something that was confirmed though the looks of wonder splashed across the team’s faces as they shuffled off the bus. Among the sea of orange high vis, Lightsource bp’s?Operations & Maintenance team ?were in-charge of the tour, showcasing the operational and land-management activity of keeping a utility-scale solar project performing at its best.

The team were shown how energy from the sun hits the panels, converting sun light to renewable electricity, before it is fed into the grid and distributed to our homes and businesses.

A place for renewable energy and farming

The manor farm solar project was designed so that sheep could continue to graze once the solar installation was complete. The panels are mounted on steel frames and allow for a lot of grazing space. The stocking density remains the same as before the installation. In fact, the panels provide shelter for the sheep during adverse weather. Our team loved seeing the sheep grazing around the panels and going about their day.?

Meeting the ‘Sunbrush

Engrossed by the panel cleaning process, the group waited in anticipation of the tractor, which arrived with its rotator brush ready to clean off the panels to make sure that they capture the most sunlight possible to maximise the clean power they generate.

A home for nature

For the final activity of the day, the team were tasked with building a hibernaculum – a shelter for bugs and anything else that will find its way in there. The team made the habitat from natural materials that the Lightsource bp team collected from the site prior to the visit, rolling up their sleeves and digging a site near the new native tree planting boundary. The team then filled the pit with small old branches and logs before finally covering the refuge with soil.

The hibernaculum will provide a safe space for wildlife to inhabit and even a place for some to hibernate, adding to the ecosystem’s abundance – which is home to a wide variety of birds, including Red Kites which were circling the skies above throughout the trip. Deer also visit the site, passing through the public walkway and feeding on the newly planted flora.?

The site offers many benefits, a way to convert light to electricity, a way to produce electricity without harmful emissions, and a way for businesses to contract a steady supply of energy at a fixed rate, helping them reduce future operating cost risks.

This is a future where energy generation works?with?nature.

So, what did our people think?

Danny from Marketing & Communications?was on site overseeing the film crews capturing the day’s events.

“The passion from the Operations & Maintenance staff responsible for running the site shone through.

It’s a real pleasure to work alongside such a committed group of people. I was struck by just how engaged the team were and the combination of scale, technology and biodiversity makes for a truly visual spectacle.”

Luke from IT

“I had a great time visiting the site. It was amazing to experience it first-hand. One of the highlights of the day was meeting the Operations & Maintenance staff and asking them questions about their day-to-day experiences.?

I also enjoyed building our hibernaculum; we had a lot of fun and helped give back to nature.”

Marina from Health &?Safety

“It was nice to spend the day in the beautiful Manor Farm, learn about biodiversity, get involved in sustainable development activities, and meet many new starters face-to-face.

Our solar plants are generating not only clean energy, but also big smiles and a sense of pride on the Lightsource bp team’s faces.”

Sasha from Operations and Maintenance

?“During the day we discussed all the great services provided by our O&M team, from our structure, our response times, and our day-to-day operational scope.

Regional Manager, Phil Double and Chris Goodson, our SNR engineer, explained the components that make up a solar farm and the engineering behind the operations.

Finally, our Land Management team led by Milly Thwaites shared her insights into our Ground Maintenance operations, biodiversity and resource-saving projects.”?

Nick from Compliance

“After a truly challenging two years, it was great to connect with colleagues in person and to see an operational solar farm up close. Beyond the ‘core’ of the site generating clean energy, three things struck me:

• Firstly, it really is farming – sheep were grazing under the panels.
• Secondly, it enhances biodiversity, providing significant habitat for pollinators, birds of prey and a diverse range of flora.
• Thirdly, what a great team we have! Everyone I met was an enthusiastic expert in their role, from maintaining the generating infrastructure to managing the environment.

As I take on my role in compliance, I will learn from the team how we implement our values of safety, drive, sustainability, respect, and integrity at every step. I’m lucky to have joined a wonderful group of people all committed to getting us to net zero.”

Join Lightsource bp and #BeTheChange

Are you passionate about sustainable energy? We’re recruiting hundreds of roles this year across the business and around the world. No matter your experience, why not?visit our careers site ?to see if there is a suitable role for you.

Our business thrives through our people, meaning that a good team spirit and strong relationships are crucial to reaching our targets and successfully deploying solar for our world.