ASSOCIATED British Ports’ (ABP) £5 million Port of Barry Solar Farm has been officially opened by Vale MP Alun Cairns and Vale AM Jane Hutt.

The ceremony, at the 4.5MWp Port of Barry Solar Farm took place on Tuesday, August 11.

It marks another significant milestone for ABP South Wales which has been investing in environmentally friendly renewable energy projects at all five SouthWales ports.

When operating at peak voltage the solar array will generate enough energy to boil 1.5 million kettles a day.

The annual power production will be the equivalent required to power 2000 homes. It was commended by Mr Cairns and Ms Hutt AM following a tour of the site.

Director of ABP South Wales Matthew Kennerley said he believed ports had a key role to play in the production of green energy.

Mr Kennerley said: “The solar array at Barry is the latest renewable energy project completed by ABP South Wales. It is designed to reduce the carbon footprint of the port and make it more competitive. We are committed to the environment and are continually thinking about how we can integrate the latest renewable energy technology into our port operations.”

The energy generated by the solar array will help power port operations with surplus energy exported to the national grid.

The Port of Barry contributes £231 million to the local economy every year and supports more than 3,000 local jobs.

The port handled more than 400,000 tonnes of cargo in 2014.

The solar array has completely transformed a 20-acre section of brownfield port land.

The 14,904 solar panels were installed by the Solar Division of British Gas, who completed the work between March and June 2015. ABP South Wales also worked with ExCAL to develop the solar farm site.

Plans to extend the solar farm to 5MWp are already under way.

The project has also been shortlisted for a Wales Green Energy award in the Outstanding Renewable Energy Project category.