JLR Opens Giant Solar Field At Its Headquarters, Equivalent To 36 Football Fields!

The giant solar panel at the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) head office. (Photo: JLR)

JAKARTA - British auto giant Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), is now increasingly serious about the transition to clean energy. The company has just inaugurated a giant solar panel field at its headquarters in Gaydon, England. The goal is clear: reducing operational costs due to energy price fluctuations and suppressing carbon footprint.

The project, which was worked on this summer, has an area of 26 hectares, or the equivalent of 36 football fields, and is the first step of three solar energy projects in the UK.

Referring to a release on the manufacturer's website, Wednesday, August 20, with a capacity of 18MW, this solar field will supply up to 31 percent of the energy needs at the Gaydon facility, which is the center of JLR's global design, engineering and R&D. On the sidelines of the solar panels, JLR is also working to increase biodiversity by planting wild flowers and restoring bird-friendly and pollinated plant fences.

Great Initiative Around The World

JLR's commitment to renewable energy does not stop at Gaydon. An expanded installation of roof solar panels at Wolverhampton's Center for Electric Propulsion Manufacturing (EPMC) will be completed this fall. With more than 18,000 solar panels, this installation will be the largest in the UK automotive plant.

This new 10,7MW capacity system will generate around 9,512 MWh of electricity each year, enough to supply more than 3,500 houses. With this addition, the combined solar capacity will meet nearly 40 percent of the factory's energy needs, supporting the production of electric and battery driving units for next-generation vehicles.

Meanwhile in China, the JLR joint venture, CJLR, has also increased energy self-sufficiency with the expansion of the roof solar installation with a capacity of 20MW. Since its operation in May 2025, this manufacturing facility has generated more than 50 percent of their monthly energy consumption.

Furthermore, in 2026, JLR will install more than 10MW of solar parking at the Merseyside plant, making it the largest solar parking in the UK. This canopy structure will provide a protected parking lot while charging electric vehicles for employees and visitors.

JLR's Chief Sustainability Officer, Andrea Debbane, stated, "This achievement is important because it directly reduces our global operational emissions and helps us get closer to net-zero goals, while giving real value today and for the long term."

JLR is committed to meeting at least a third of its global energy needs from renewable sources on site or near the factory site by 2030. To date, JLR has succeeded in reducing operational emissions by 23.4 percent of its initial target.

This initiative is in line with the statement of the British Minister of Industry, Sarah Jones, who called JLR a leader in supporting Britain to become a "superpower of clean energy." JLR continues to explore other renewable energy solutions, including wind power and hydrogen, to achieve a more sustainable future