Less than five months after construction officially began at the Coed Ely Solar Farm, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, and Vital Energi are celebrating a significant milestone as the last of the 9,400 solar panels are set to be installed just in time for Earth Day which took place on April 22, 2025.
The farm plays a significant part in the council’s decarbonisation as it will export 5MW of clean electricity to the grid, but it will also help lower Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board’s emissions as they will receive 1MW of low-carbon power through an innovative power purchase agreement.
Councillor Tina Leyshon, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Youth Participation and Climate Change, said: “This year’s Earth Day theme, ‘Our Power, Our Planet,’ seeks to unite us in the pursuit of renewable energy. With the solar panel installation nearing completion, it’s the perfect time to celebrate this achievement. It’s inspiring to witness similar initiatives worldwide, driving us towards a cleaner, healthier planet while prioritising the wellbeing of future generations. We’re proud to be part of this movement.
“By providing the Royal Glamorgan Hospital with low-carbon electricity, we’re helping to reduce its carbon footprint, and directly supplying our local NHS.
“Additionally, repurposing the site’s reclaimed colliery tip, which is unsuitable for agriculture, demonstrates how land can be used for clean energy while supporting local biodiversity. Grazing rights for animals will continue, showing that solar energy projects can coexist with farming and enhance biodiversity.”
The solar farm is situated on a former colliery site and is being delivered by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council in partnership with Vital Energi, Hydrock, and Rhomco. It is a core initiative in helping the council meet its carbon-neutral targets by 2030.
A spokesperson from Vital Energi said: “While there’s still work to do before the solar farm is energised, this milestone represents a transformative project that will significantly reduce carbon emissions for both the council and the health board. One of our key successes has been collaborating with local organisations to maximise job creation, local spending, and training opportunities—ensuring that this project delivers substantial social and economic benefits for the surrounding community.”
So far, the project has created ten local jobs and generated over £600,000 in spending with local businesses and suppliers. The team are also working hard to improve biodiversity by planting hedgerows and installing bee posts, bird boxes, and bat boxes.
The Coed Ely Solar Farm will provide enough energy to power approximately 8,000 homes annually while supplying low-carbon electricity directly to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital via a private wire network spanning three kilometres. This innovative approach ensures that up to 15% of the hospital’s annual electricity demand is met sustainably rising to 100% on peak summer days.
Linda Prosser, Executive Director of Strategy and Transformation and Executive Lead for Decarbonisation – Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, said: “We are delighted that on peak summer days the whole hospital will be powered by solar energy. This will have a significant positive impact on our decarbonisation and ‘Green CTM’ commitments and how we can deliver healthcare in a sustainable way for future generations. However, this scheme is not the end of the story at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, and we will be delivering more renewables and low carbon technologies in future to further decarbonise the hospital’s energy demands.
Additionally, we are proud to work with our partners at RCTCBC and believe that this scheme is a great example of positive collaboration and partnership working between Health Board and Local Authority.”
