Solar Array Unveiled at Park Cliffe

19 May 2023 On the park

Cumbria MP Tim Farron has officially pressed the starter button on an ambitious new green energy project at a Windermere holiday park, Park Cliffe.

Cumbria MP Tim Farron has officially pressed the starter button on our ambitious new green energy initiative. We have invested nearly £200,000 in the project, which features over 200 high-efficiency solar panels and will save 21 tonnes of carbon (equivalent to planting 970 trees) from entering the atmosphere each year.

The system, known as a solar array, will generate around 100Kw of power, and is designed to produce electricity even on the most overcast of days.

The array is capable of providing up to 70% of Park Cliffe’s electricity needs, and is supported by a substantial 60w battery storage facility. This means that if the supply of solar power outstrips the requirements on the park, electricity can be saved and drawn on during other periods of higher demand.

 

Solar array installed at Park Cliffe

The array has been sited on a south-facing section of the camping area and is virtually invisible from public roads. We have built 40 metres of traditional willow fencing around the area to provide additional screening. We have also planted an adjacent wildflower meadow.

Unveiling a plaque to commemorate the opening of the project, Mr Farron said that Park Cliffe was sending out an important message to other firms in Cumbria:

“This is the latest in a series of initiatives by Park Cliffe to reduce their impact on the environment, and it shows beyond doubt that going green is good for business,” he said. “Being sustainable is an investment in the future, and a way to help ensure long-term profitability by being a part of how we are all having to adapt to new challenges. “Businesses like Park Cliffe are also playing a role in educating the millions of people who visit Cumbria each year about the importance of facing up to climate change,” said Mr Farron.

Environmental initiatives

We endeavour to be as environmentally friendly as possible at Park Cliffe and always try to run the business along sustainable lines. Once you start looking, there’s so much that can be done to reduce a business’s dependence on fossil fuels and to protect the natural world. We were one of the first Cumbrian tourism businesses to ban single-use plastics, and have made the switch to non-polluting all-electric vehicles around the grounds. We’ve also championed local suppliers in our café and park shop to reduce food miles, and introduced low-level lighting so that guests can enjoy the night sky. We are proud to hold the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level for our various initiatives to protect wildlife and indigenous plant species.

It was great to be able to welcome Tim Farron to switch on our new solar array, and we’re eagerly awaiting seeing our park being powered largely by sunbeams!