Chris and Ben founded Lightrock Power in 2017 having worked in solar development since 2010.
Subsidy-free sites in the UK were not yet feasible in 2017, so the pair originally embarked on developing projects in the US. From early 2019 they returned their attention to the home turf of the UK, and soon added storage solutions to their repertoire.
Whether at home or internationally, Lightrock was created with the determination to develop energy infrastructure in the right way – implementing all the gains to environment, economy and ecology that they can bring.
Lightrock is purposefully structured as a small development team with a flat structure – if you call us you will be able to speak with either Chris or Ben directly, we listen to feedback and implement it wherever we possibly can.
Solar energy, combined with storage, can help our society transition electricity generation away from fossil fuels but it must be done sensitively; we want to develop projects that optimise the benefits to the locations that are home to our projects.
We pride ourselves on being transparent and acting with integrity, not only with our landowners and funders but also, crucially, with the communities that are home to our projects.
Ben comes from a farming background and applies his knowledge of rural land management to solar farms, ensuring they can bring a positive contribution to the UK farming industry. Ben lives in Gloucestershire and enjoys swimming and exploring the South-West with his young family.
Chris is our resident eco-geek, focused on making efficient grid connections and designing exemplary solar farms, with a particular interest in collaborating with our wildlife partners to optimise the biodiversity benefits. Chris lives in Yorkshire and enjoys gardening with his young family and cycling in the Peak District National Park.
Michelle has recently completed an RTPI accredited Masters degree with a background in environmental policy and sustainability. Michelle lives in Yorkshire and, when she’s not ensuring the smooth running of the planning process, spends much of her time travelling with friends and creating healthy (and delicious) recipes.
Matt is the administrative oil that greases the wheels of our little vehicle. Matt lives in Yorkshire and can frequently be found on walks with Chris’s family (they’re brothers-in-law) or arranging and practicing new material for his wedding/function band (www.innervibeband.com).
