By Marcus Leach
Wales' first solar park, at the Rhosygilwen estate in Pembrokeshire, is set to start converting sunlight into electricity.
A six acre field has been set-up with over 10,000 solar panels that will ensure the park will be onstream three weeks before the UK government lowers the subsidy for large-scale solar energy investors.
The site's owner, Western Solar, still hopes to double the size of the £2.5 million investment.
"There are 10,000 panels here. They are very cutting edge from the States," said Dr Glen Peters, who owns Rhosygilwen mansion and art centre.
"They are thin film, particularly suited to our climate here of largely cloudy skies."
Dr Peters has planning consent for a development twice the size but had to rethink his plans.
"There was no bank financing available," he said.
"I then had to take a total act of faith and said 'okay, we will halve the scheme, we will do one megawatt initially' and I basically raided my pension fund."
The development would be enough to power 300 homes.
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