First electricity has been produced and exported from a 5MW solar farm in Dorset.

The site at Tout Hill is Good Energy’s first solar farm and will generate enough electricity to power around 1,300 homes.

Juliet Davenport, Founder and CEO of Good Energy said: “The solar farm at Wool will make an important contribution to Dorset’s renewable energy targets and demonstrates the value of solar power as part of our renewable energy generation portfolio.”

The parishes of East Stoke and Wool are to benefit from a £5,000 community fund every year, which will be managed by a charitable trust set up by the local people. The community will be able to apply for funding, which will be judged by the trustees and awarded accordingly.

Planning permission for the site was received at the end of 2013 and construction on the site began in April 2014.