All of our operational staff are provided with high-level training, selected according to the levels of risk they are managing. Some of this training is conducted in house, and some by external agencies, and areas covered include driving safety, electrical safety, HSE incident investigation and general health and safety.

Lightsource bp is certified to ISO 45001 which is an International Standard for Occupational Health and Safety.

Throughout the construction process, the carefully selected EPC contractor building the project systematically identifies all applicable Health and Safety risks for the project. They then put a safety plan in place, which is implemented by competent and trained workforce and supervisors. A similar process applies during the operation and maintenance of our solar farms.

Solar is a passive technology, with few moving parts and waste products, and so is an inherently low risk proposition. However, like any industrial or electrical project, there are a range of potential dangers, from vehicles and mobile equipment to electrical exposure, alongside general risks such as extreme weather, slips trips and falls etc. We take care to mitigate as much risk as possible during solar farm construction and operation, through stringent training and safety protocols.

There are often opportunities for employment during the life of our projects, from land management to maintenance and more. If you’d like to find out more about a Lightsource bp solar farm near you, or a project in development, please email info@lightsourcebp.com or use the contact form on the project page, if one exists.

This varies from site to site around the world. Land management for some Lightsource bp sites is done by our O&M teams, some by the landowner or a local business, some by contractors. If you’d like to find out more about a Lightsource bp solar farm near you, or a project in development, please email info@lightsourcebp.com or use the contact form on the project page, if one exists.

All our solar farms, whether they’re operated and maintained by Lightsource bp or by contractors, are closely monitored. In the event of equipment failure or malfunction, the monitoring system will flag the issue and personnel will be sent out to fix the problem.

As solar is a passive technology, very little maintenance is required. Typically, during the operational period of a solar farm, most visits to a solar project are associated with the monitoring, upkeep and cleaning of the site, and take place once or twice a month.

This depends on the location of the panels - solar installations in places that receive very little rainfall will need more regular cleaning than those in areas which see more regular wet weather.

Depending on location, Lightsource bp solar farms are maintained by our own Operations and Maintenance personnel, or by carefully selected and trained contractors.

The construction activity on the site as well as other elements of the solar farm such as civil engineering works or the mounts for the panels and assembly, are likely to be sourced from suppliers based in the local area. Previous schemes have utilised local businesses and contractors for aggregates, haulage, landscaping supplies and there are also spin offs for local businesses in plant hire and accommodation while contractors are onsite for the construction period. Once operational, the solar farm does not require any permanent staff presence, but there will however be a requirement for monitoring, cleaning and general maintenance throughout the year.

Lightsource bp employs skilled and experienced contractors to build our projects across the world. We carefully select our contractors and subcontractors and provide them with the necessary training to meet best practise standards.

Guidelines vary from country to country, but we’re committed to responsible waste management globally. When managing construction waste, we segregate the materials according to the country guidelines and capabilities, along with any specific requirements we may have in our planning documentation, in order to properly dispose of them. Our contractor, or EPC, will enter into one or more service contracts with local waste management companies, who will come to the site regularly to dispose of any waste. All waste has to be certified, which means it is weighed on site, and then again at the waste management facility, and certificates are drawn up to confirm that the correct amount of waste has been properly disposed of for each project. These certificates may be required by the country authorities as part of our environmental reports/audits during the execution of the projects. In many countries, the planning documentation needs to present the amount of waste expected to be generated during the construction of the project in the different categories (and also may have requirements to provide the same information during the O&M stage). The waste management facilities may perform an additional segregation, depending on their capabilities, and the intent is to recycle as much as possible, which is a common and well extended practice across many countries worldwide.

Where relevant, a Transport Statement and/or Traffic Management Plan will be provided with any planning application. These documents include an assessment of the local road network which informs the most appropriate route for construction traffic. The TMP will outline: Amount of vehicle movements associated with the development Delivery hours to limit impacts on the morning and afternoon school drop off/pick up hours. Construction signage

During construction of a solar farm there will be trips associated with the arrival and departure of construction staff, and with the delivery of parts and construction materials. Staff trips will mainly be made by cars, vans or minibuses, whilst deliveries of construction materials and equipment will mainly be made by HGVs. The majority of these deliveries will be during the first half of the construction period. The preparation of a Traffic Management Plan is often required as part of a planning permit application or a pre-construction condition. This will outline the anticipated number of vehicle movements for the proposal. Vehicle movements associated during the operational period of a solar farm are very low, being mainly associated with the monitoring, upkeep and cleaning of the site. These trips will typically be made by small vans visiting the site once or twice a month.

Solar installations are designed to minimise any potential for glare to surrounding areas. The solar panels are provided with a non-reflective coating to increase efficiency and do not create any adverse glare impacts, in fact surfaces such as grass and water are considered to be more reflective than the panels which are designed to absorb light. In the case of tracking technology, the glint and glare impacts generated by the panels are considered negligible. As the panel tracks the path of the sun throughout the day, the reflection is consistently angled at a point that is higher than any ground-level visual receptor. Depending on the context of the project, a specific glint and glare assessment can be undertaken, particularly when the project is in close proximity to a road. Where there are potential glare impacts, border vegetation screening can be planted to mitigate these.

When we start looking for land for potential projects, we have to take into consideration four key factors: Technical suitability - this covers size, amount of daylight, orientation, topography and access Grid connection feasibility - this means how easy it would be to connect the site to the grid Planning/environmental considerations  - these vary depending on where in the world we’re building, but often cover things like national and local level designations (landscape, ecology, heritage); heritage assets; flood risk; soils; neighbouring land uses and potential visual receptors Site availability - we need a willing landowner in order to build a solar farm! Once we’ve taken into account the above considerations, we often find that agricultural land is the most suitable option for our proposed developments. An added benefit to farmers is that a solar lease with Lightsource bp offers long-term predictable income, as well as the opportunity to continue agricultural use on the solar land.

Some of our projects have their own pages on our website, so take a look at the Lightsource bp site for your country, and check in the “projects” tab. If your project isn’t visible on the site, or if you’d like more information, please get in touch by emailing info@lightsourcebp.com.

As solar is a passive technology, the panels themselves are silent. Some noise is generated by the inverters and other ancillary equipment, but we take care to locate these away from property boundaries where possible, so there is minimal noise beyond the site.

Depending on where you are, you may be able to comment on the proposal directly to the planning committee or permitting body. Wherever you are, you can always contact Lightsource bp directly about any one of our projects. Email info@lightsourcebp.com, or use the contact form on the project page.

Yes, community engagement is an important part of the planning process at Lightsource bp. The form this takes may vary depending on jurisdiction, but whether it’s an in-person event, a virtual meeting, a mail out or something else entirely, we do our best to reach out to the community during every project we develop.

No. Theoretically, as the land will likely have seen a reduction in farming or grazing over the past several decades, the quality of the land is likely to have improved. There may be an element of temporary disruption to the land after construction and following decommissioning, particularly if the works take place during winter/a wet season, but our carefully selected contractors are required to return the land to original state, reseeding, rolling, making good any damage etc.

We’re committed to restoring the land to its original state, so at the end of a solar lease, if no further projects have been negotiated, we’ll remove all equipment and make good any disruption caused by the decommissioning process. In some cases, equipment that has been adopted by the local network operator for the grid connection may stay on site depending on the specific agreements.

You will always have the right to sell your land under a Lightsource bp lease, as the agreement will simply pass to the new owner along with the land. The buyer will need to consent to the terms of the lease prior to sale.

This varies depending on jurisdiction and type of contract, but a standard range is from 25 to 40 years.

Yes, Lightsource bp solar farms can be designed to be compatible with grazing small livestock such as sheep, chickens and geese.

Once the lease is executed, and construction begins, rent is paid upfront until the next quarter, and from then on is paid quarterly for the life of the project.

Lightsource bp handles everything in house, so you will have one point of contact with means quicker development and a long-standing relationship. As all our projects are fully funded, we offer shorter development timeframes and a high chance of project success. Our track record speaks for itself, as we’ve already developed 2.6GW of solar worldwide.

The criteria for solar land varies from place to place, but generally speaking an ideal site would be: square or regular shape, in one single area rather than multiple fields; have a wide, well-established access; unshaded; flat or just gently sloped; not within flood zones or restricted areas; well screened from roads or settlements, by vegetation or topography; no shallow bedrock or clay soils; and close to a point of connection to the local grid. We are however, very experienced and proficient in working with more challenging sites. If you’re interested in leasing your land to Lightsource bp for a solar farm and would like to speak to a member of our team, please email info@lightsourcebp.com, or get in touch via the contact page on your local  Lightsource bp website.

If you’re interested in a Lightsource bp PPA and would like to speak to a member of our team, please email info@lightsourcebp.com, or get in touch via the contact page on your local  Lightsource bp website.

A Lightsource bp PPA has multiple benefits to a corporate customer, from future cost visibility to price hedging, security of supply, carbon footprint reduction, sustainability initiatives, positive PR and more. To find out more about Lightsource bp PPAs, visit our UK website, or your local Lightsource bp website.

We offer businesses the opportunity to procure solar power through a range of different PPA models, tailored to best meet their requirements. Our global experience across several different markets gives us a view on best practice and innovation, and has allowed us to develop a range of solutions with flexibility on volume, pricing and tenor. For business with a high energy demand, we offer large-scale grid connected projects. These can be structured as physical or virtual agreements. In a Physical PPA the buyer receives the physical delivery of power which is ‘sleeved’ through an intermediary. Virtual PPAs on the other hand, do not involve the physical delivery of power. Instead, the agreement is financial and structured as ‘contract for difference’. Private wire PPAs provide a solution for those with a lower demand, via onsite or near-site projects connected behind the meter and delivering the power directly to the offtaker’s site. To find out more about Lightsource bp PPAs, visit our UK website, or your local Lightsource bp website.

A Power Purchase Agreement, or a PPA, allows businesses to meet their renewable energy needs at no upfront cost. Through a long-term fixed price agreement buyers are able to procure electricity direct from a reliable low-carbon source whilst meeting their sustainability targets and gaining long term budget certainty. In this strategic partnership Lightsource bp would finance, build and operate the asset providing full lifecycle services from initial site selection and permitting through to long-term management. To find out more about Lightsource bp PPAs, visit our UK website, or your local Lightsource bp website.

This varies quite a bit from place to place, but the global average cost of building a solar project, from the very first step of looking for suitable land all the way through to connecting to the grid or offtaker, is 90% lower than it was when we started in solar 10 years ago, making solar cost competitive with centional generation sources in most countries.

We are funded through strategic debt and equity partnerships, which enable us to develop and construct solar PV plants efficiently and quickly. Our teams are highly experienced in raising debt in both the bank and institutional markets and demonstrate aptitude in a complex and fast moving finance landscape. In keeping with our hands-on approach, we maintain a full team of in-house structured finance professionals. Our finance teams manage all aspects of project funding and oversee our global relationships with banks and financial institutions. The extent of our in-house expertise has allowed us to push the barriers of solar energy and will continue to drive us forwards in the future.To find out more about our innovative financing, visit our global website.

No. Lightsource bp solar farms are developed at zero upfront cost to the landowner, community, grid or purchaser of the generated power. All the funding for our projects is provided by Lightsource bp, or secured ahead of time, from reputable institutions across the world. To find out more about our innovative financing, visit our global website.

Yes, community engagement is an important part of the planning process at Lightsource bp. The form this takes may vary depending on jurisdiction, but whether it’s an in-person event, a virtual meeting, a mail out or something else entirely, we do our best to reach out to the community during every project we develop.

The construction activity on the site as well as other elements of the solar farm such as civil engineering works or the mounts for the panels and assembly, are likely to be sourced from suppliers based in the local area. Previous schemes have utilised local businesses and contractors for aggregates, haulage, landscaping supplies and there are also spin offs for local businesses in plant hire and accommodation while contractors are onsite for the construction period. Once operational, the solar farm does not require any permanent staff presence, but there will however be a requirement for regular monitoring, cleaning and general maintenance throughout the year.

There are a number of ways in which Lightsource bp seeks to support the local communities around our solar farms, and these can vary between jurisdictions and specific projects. To date examples of support have included community benefit funds, partnerships with local charities, habitat protection/creation schemes, educational tours and resources, and local employment opportunities.

Lightsource bp solar farms are often designed to boost biodiversity, via bespoke biodiversity management plans put together by experts early in the development process. Solar farms are ideally suited to boosting biodiversity as the land remains largely undisturbed for up to 40 years, and we’ve historically put into place a wide range of measures to create and enhance habitats for local flora and fauna. Visit our sustainability website to find out more.

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth - the number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms present across all the different ecosystems are all part of a biologically diverse planet. Biodiversity, the presence of a wide range of species, boosts ecosystem productivity. Almost all cultures are dependent on biological diversity in some way, and as such maintaining biodiversity and boosting ecosystem productivity is vital.

By diversifying the global energy mix, and providing reliable, secure alternatives to fossil fuels, solar energy combats the dual challenge of meeting rising electricity needs while also meeting the need to reduce carbon emissions.

We’ve implemented a wide-reaching sustainability strategy to combat climate change. Our core contribution to global sustainability is in decarbonizing the world’s energy landscape through responsibly developed solar projects, but we’re going beyond that. Our sustainability strategy (which can be found on our sustainability website) sets out three key goals: to inspire and enable businesses and communities to choose solar; to continue to be climate conscious as we grow the business, decarbonizing, reducing waste and protecting ecosystems and biodiversity; and to create a positive social impact for our people, partners and communities.

Sustainable solar, and sustainability in general, is vital on many levels. Climate change, decarbonizing energy, and biodiversity loss are among the complex and interwoven global issues that we face today. These issues have serious environmental consequences directly impacting on both the natural world and people’s lives and livelihoods, and sustainability is the only way to combat them.

We’ve got vacancies all over the world - visit https://www.lightsourcebp.com/careers/ to see what’s available near you.

Lightsource bp is active in 13 countries across six continents - Australia, Brazil, Egypt, Greece, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, UK and the USA.

We are a 50:50 JV with bp which combines the best of both partners. Our skills in solar development, financing and management with bp’s expertise in global reach, innovation and financial strength. Together this partnership is perfectly placed to accelerate the growth of solar power worldwide.

Lightsource bp was founded in 2010 by Nick Boyle and Paul McCartie - find out more about the beginnings of Lightsource from their perspectives on our be inspired page

The lifespan of a solar farm depends on the make, model and warranty of the components, as well as the situation of the development. Lightsource bp solar farms generally have a lifespan of 20-40 years.

Solar energy generation relies on daylight, rather than sunlight, so even on a grey day panels will generate electricity, though not nearly as much as they do in full sunshine!

Solar energy is measured, like electricity, in watts, kilowatts (KW), megawatts (MW) and gigawatts (GW).

PV stands for photovoltaic - the conversion of light into electricity using semi-conducting materials. Solar PV is a phrase often used in the industry to differentiate between solar photovoltaics and solar thermals.

Silicon is the largest component on a solar farm, forming both the photovoltaic cells and the anti-reflective glass which protects them. To make the cells, sand is melted using electricity. It is then purified and distilled, formed into ‘wafers’ and given an anti-reflective silicon nitride coating to maximise light absorption. The horizontal and vertical lines across the panels are screen-printed silver conductors. They conduct the electricity produced by the silicon cells to the cabling. The panels are fixed onto an aluminium framework which quickly dulls to a non-shiny finish. The framework has galvanised screwed-in foundations, it is quick to install, very strong and can be removed easily to allow the ground to be fully restored once the plant is decommissioned.

Each solar panel is made up of cells, which convert the light energy from daylight into electrical energy. Daylight from the sun hits a negatively doped silicon layer which ‘excites’ electrons, effectively ‘removing’ them from their atoms. This creates a potential difference between the two layers of silicon and stimulates a flow of electrons. The flow generates Direct Current (DC) electricity.