Energy in Focus – How local partnership and community engagement sparks project success
At Lightsource bp, responsible development is at the heart of our approach – delivering renewable energy and storage solutions while seeking to enhance ecosystems, local economies and progressing a sustainable supply chain.
Vivi Lee, Senior Development Manager at Lightsource bp, has overseen Project Budai, our first project in Taiwan and our pilot fishery solar project globally, from origination through to its recent handover to construction. She describes Project Budai as her favourite project in her career so far.
Since aquavoltaics is a relatively new technology, the wisdom and knowledge shared by local partners has been crucial. “Working closely with professional fishery management companies, they have taught us so much about fishery production cycles, restrictions and requirements for different types of aquaculture. All of these have been considered and incorporated into our project design.”
This project is a vivid example of Lightsource bp’s dedication to local partnerships and community engagement from the early development phase of the project lifecycle. We have maintained ongoing discussions with fishermen and landlords during the design phase to understand their needs and activities. This commitment not only supports local economies but is also a key driver of project success.
Vivi recalled that after the team shared the initial solar farm design with fishermen, one of them wanted to modify his fish pond design. His plan was hand-drawn and hard to interpret. After multiple meetings and over 10 revisions, the team incorporated his design within the solar farm layout. “With over 100 fish ponds involved, we prioritised listening to community members and integrating their needs into the solar farm. We believe that this attentive and flexible approach is why the project has received strong community support in the area, as they trust we genuinely take their input into consideration.”
Watch our interview with Vivi Lee to learn more about how Lightsource bp’s tailored development approach benefits communities and fosters trusted partnerships.
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