Ford Motor Company UK has commissioned a new solar farm at its Dunton Campus headquarters, taking another step on its carbon neutrality journey.
Capable of generating over 5,000 MWh of electricity annually, the new solar farm will meet approximately 10% of the facility’s 55,000 MWh energy needs. Until now, Ford’s Dunton Campus — the manufacturer’s largest automotive R&D centre in the UK — has sourced all of its energy requirements from certified renewable energy via the National Grid.
To put the amount of energy generated into perspective, the new solar farm could fuel a Ford E-Transit for 14 million miles – equivalent to circling the Earth more than 500 times.
The new Dunton Campus solar farm is a key component of Ford’s global “Road to Better” initiative, which aims for carbon neutrality across its European operations, including facilities, logistics and direct suppliers by 2035. This project follows the successful solar switch at Ford’s Daventry site and precedes a similar installation at Halewood scheduled for 2025.
Related reading: Ford Halewood begins production of new electric drive units
Ford’s new solar farm was delivered by On-Site Energy (OSE), an independent energy solutions provider. Under the direction of Ford Land, OSE managed the design, procurement, installation, testing, and commissioning of the project in just nine weeks.
Kevin Clarkson, Program Coordinator at Ford Land, said: “Energy has always been a substantial part of our operating costs, and its importance has only increased in recent years. Increasing our renewable energy capacity is as critical as the shift to electric mobility. Ford Land’s vision is to establish large-scale renewable energy assets at all major European sites.”
Since its establishment in 1959, Ford’s Dunton Campus has been central to the company’s European operations, housing key functions such as engineering, design, manufacturing, and product development. Recent investments, including £47m in the Advanced Propulsion Laboratory (APL) and the E:PRiME prototype build facility, underscore Dunton’s importance in advancing Ford’s electric vehicle strategy.
Ford’s adoption of solar power aligns with its global commitment to renewable energy. Dunton is the second UK site to integrate solar panels after Daventry, with Halewood set to follow in 2025.
For more articles like this, visit our Sustainability channel