Residents of Bridgwater, Puriton, Highbridge and district have been invited to invest in an energy cooperative that traps the power of the sun’s rays and turns it into electricity.

The solar farm is owned by the Bristol Energy Cooperative and lies alongside the M5 near J23 at Dunball on the Puriton side of the Poldens.

“We made a public share offer in November,” said Andy O’Brien of the cooperative, “and that raised £650,000, and we also made a bond offer which raised £625,000. We have just relaunched the bond offer and tweaked it so it is a two year bond. People are buying them from all round the country and some from abroad.”

He said people were investing because there are now community energy schemes across the country and the public understood the benefits of such scheme. Shares can be bought for £50 each while the bonds cost £500 he said but investors should see them as a long term investment. The total amount of cash need to fund the project is £2m meaning the funds so far amount are up to 60 percent of what is required.

The Government’s change of heart over subsidies for solar farms won’t affect the Puriton scheme he said as the plant was pre-registered before the alterations by the Chancellor and is guaranteed for 20 years.

He helped set up the cooperative he said as the nation needs to move away from carbon based fuels and solar farms gain energy even on over cast days. Sheep and other livestock can be grazed between the panels and the panels are self-cleaning he said.

Are you in favour of solar power? Will you invest in the scheme? Your views to harry.mottram@nqsw.co.uk