Energy company Ecotricity is to install 18,000 solar panels in three wind farms in Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

The green supplier will build two solar farms with a capacity of 5MW each in Devon and Dalby. They will join existing wind farms to create hybrid energy parks.

Ecotricity will also extend Fen Farm, a hybrid energy park in Lincolnshire, adding 5MW of solar capacity.

All the projects are expected to power more than 1,000 homes and reduce around 2,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Dale Vince, Founder of Ecotricity said: “Hybrid energy parks like this are the future of energy in Britain. The combination of the wind and the sun makes for a more consistent energy supply – and the potential for Britain’s energy independence is huge.

“Wind and solar made up around 13% of the UK’s entire electricity generation last year while all renewables together contributed 25% but we need to be doing more. The current government has cut support for both the wind and solar industries yet has promised to give nuclear a subsidy at twice the market price for 35 years and has increased support for the oil and gas industries – it’s a government going backwards on climate change.”

• Ecotricity, Renewables, solar, UK