Stantec celebrates opening of innovative Coed-Ely solar farm

Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, has welcomed the successful opening of Coed-Ely solar farm in South Wales. The development, led by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, will save thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions throughout its lifecycle. It was supported in its delivery by Stantec’s interdisciplinary teams, as well as Vital Energi, Rhomco, and The Urbanists.

The innovative renewable project, which was officially switched on in a ceremony on 6^th November, powers a local hospital with low-carbon electricity while feeding energy back into the national grid. The scheme has seen the installation of more than 9,000 panels, and was jointly funded by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), and the Welsh Government.

Cabinet secretary for economy, energy and planning, Rebecca Evans MS attended the opening alongside cabinet member for resources, councillor Ros Davis, and representatives from the UKSPF, UK Government, NHS, Stantec, Rhomco, Vital Energi, and the Welsh Government Energy Service.

Supporting the NHS

Stantec’s multidisciplinary team of engineers and renewable energy specialists led the feasibility studies, guided and delivered the successful planning application, and acted as technical advisors for the scheme.

The project uses a 3.2km private wire cable, allowing the scheme to export one megawatt (MW) of electricity to Royal Glamorgan Hospital, helping drive down carbon emissions for the National Health Service. The solar farm is expected to meet a significant portion of the hospital’s electricity demand.

Built on a reclaimed colliery site, the farm transformed 84 acres of former industrial land into a renewable energy asset for the region. As one of the largest local-authority solar projects in Wales, it generates enough clean energy to power around 8,000 homes annually while contributing 5MW to the grid.

As well as lowering carbon emissions, the project team worked to improve biodiversity on the site by planting new hedgerows, installing bee posts, bird boxes, and bat boxes. The tailored design of the solar farm also means the land can continue to be used for grazing.

Overcoming complexities

The main challenge was overcoming the site’s topography. Through careful solar design and geological investigations, Stantec determined the optimum layout for the scheme and cable routes to the hospital.

Stantec also handled the full PV design including mounting, electrical infrastructure, panels, site access, drainage and foundation design, and layout. The panels were installed at a low pitch, allowing for continual use throughout the day and reducing the potential glare sometimes associated with solar farms.

The contractor, Vital Energy’s project team worked with Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council to enable local communities to benefit from the socio-economic advantages of the project, with over £600,000 spent on local procurement, the creation of new jobs, and significant support for several local charities.

“This project is actively demonstrating how local authorities can drive the net zero agenda forward and add meaningful value to communities through innovative technology and approaches,” said Matt Ace, Stantec regional director for Wales.

“I was delighted to be invited to today’s opening ceremony for this complex project alongside this collaborative and forward-thinking team. It’s incredible to see what can be achieved when public and private partners share resilience, efficiency, and innovation as common goals.” 

Find out more about Stantec in the UK and Ireland, and its holistic range of interdisciplinary services.

About Stantec

Stantec empowers clients, people, and communities to rise to the world’s greatest challenges at a time when the world faces more unprecedented concerns than ever before.   

​We are a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting. ​Our professionals deliver the expertise, technology, and innovation communities need to manage aging infrastructure, demographic and population changes, the energy transition, and more. ​

Today’s communities transcend geographic borders. At Stantec, community means everyone with an interest in the work that we do—from our project teams and industry colleagues to our clients and the people our work impacts. The diverse perspectives of our partners and interested parties drive us to think beyond what’s previously been done on critical issues like climate change, digital transformation, and future-proofing our cities and infrastructure.  ​

We are designers, engineers, scientists, project managers, and strategic advisors. We innovate at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships to advance communities everywhere, so that together we can redefine what’s possible.​

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Media Contact
Calum Metcalfe
Stantec Media Relations
Ph: 01612 458904
calum.metcalfe@stantec.com