Harveys to house community-owned power station
Harveys, the East Sussex-based brewer and pub operator, is set to provide a home at its brewery warehouse in Lewes for what is believed will be the first community-owned power station.
The brewer had agreed to lease the roof of its warehouse to the Ouse Valley Energy Services Company (Ovesco) for the installation of solar panels in exchange for free electricity.
The energy generated will be used primarily by Harveys to cool its beer, with any surplus sold back to the grid. The additional revenue from the surplus energy will then be used to fund community projects.
Ovesco needs to raise about £300,000 through selling shares to investors to install the panels. So far it has raised £166,000 toward the project.
