JLR opens 26-hectare solar farm at UK HQ

The 18MW solar facility spans an area equivalent to 36 football pitches and will generate electricity to meet up to 31% of the JLR site’s energy requirements.
JLR expects to achieve a 52% biodiversity net gain uplift at the Gaydon solar farm, exceeding the typical UK Government requirement of 10%. Native wildflowers have been planted beneath and between the ground-mounted solar panels. Hedgerows around the project have also been restored.
Elsewhere, JLR is close to completing the installation of additional rooftop solar capacity at its Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre (EPMC) in Wolverhampton.
Building on an existing rooftop array, the new 10.7MW system will generate approximately 9,512 MWh of electricity annually. It is expected complete in autumn 2025 and should meet around 40% of the JLR site’s energy needs.
The EPMC is a key location for JLR’s production of electric drive units and batteries for its next-generation electric vehicles (EVs).
In 2026, JLR will begin installing more than 10MW of solar car ports at its Merseyside site. It is planning to install solar canopy structures across Halewood, including solar walkways from the main carparks to the site entrances. Electricity generated will be used to charge both employees’ and visitors’ EVs.
Global strategy
JLR’s solar strategy is not confined to the UK. The business’s joint venture in China, CJLR, has this year expanded its rooftop solar array with an additional 20MW.
Since the expansion was completed in May 2025, the manufacturing site has self-generated enough electricity to cover more than half of its monthly energy needs. Staff have also reported better temperature regulation in the workshop thanks to additional shading from the panels.
JLR’s chief sustainability officer Andrea Debanne said: “The delivery of our self-generated renewable energy projects across the UK and China is part of our strategic shift to gain greater control over our energy mix against a backdrop of uncertainty – reducing our reliance on volatile markets and global grid infrastructure.
“These renewable energy milestones are important because they directly reduce our global operational emissions and help move us closer to our net-zero goal, whilst delivering tangible value today and for the long-term.”
JLR has stated an intention to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from operations, products and the supply chain by 2039.
To date, JLR has already achieved a 23.4% reduction in operational emissions compared to its FY19/20 location-based baseline through energy switching and efficiency measures. It is aiming for a 46% reduction by 2030, against this baseline.
Rolling out renewables is a core component of future plans. The car manufacturer is committed to sourcing at least one-third of its global energy needs from onsite and near-site renewables as alternatives to natural gas by 2030. JLR previously stated that this would necessitate the installation of 120MW of renewable generation capacity.