Increasing the roastery’s capacity has enabled parts of its processing plant to run on renewable energy, which will help to reduce the carbon footprint of the company’s products.
March 13, 2026
Glasgow-based coffee roaster Matthew Algie has installed a 928-panel solar array across eight roofs, increasing the roastery’s solar energy capacity from 10kW to 422kW.
Oluwafemi Sadugba, senior solar design engineer at RSK Renewables, the renewable energy contracting company that installed the solar PV system, said that surveys were completed prior to the installation of the panels,  ensuring that the site was suitable for the PV array.
“The design for the new array incorporated multiple engineering processes, from structural assessments, electrical design and grid compliance to fire safety and regulatory compliance,” Sadugba said.
The nature of the site additionally required unique considerations for the project.
“Because coffee roasting is a highly energy-intensive process, the specific needs of the factory to function effectively were considered in the design,” Sadugba explained.
“Considering these factors together, the design presented a mounting system design that accounts for UK wind load in accordance with European Technical Standards, which determined fixing methods.”
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Acies, a sister RSK Group company, provided support on structural surveys and reports to ensure the project was feasible at the site and had longevity.
The process included considering structural capacity, resistance to wind uplift, accessibility for maintenance and emergencies and shading constraints.
Lewis Doyle, senior project manager at RSK Renewables added that a linear heat detection system was installed to monitor for equipment overheating. The system monitors on a zonal basis and shuts down should the maximum heat threshold be reached.
This is particularly important for roasteries, Doyle explained, as the high-energy requirements of the coffee roasting process result in a critical need for optimal fire risk precautions.
The installation occurred while the roastery was in operation and working as usual. 
“The solar installation at Matthew Algie’s roastery is the second significant renewable energy project the business has embarked on,” said Doyle.
“In 2012, it installed a 10kW system, which it has now upgraded to have the capacity to power a significant proportion of its operations.”
The news follows significant growth in the UK’s residential solar sector, with 2025 marking the fifth consecutive year of growth in rooftop solar capacity added to the UK market.
 
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Catie Owen
Contributing writer
Since 2019, Catie has been writing news, interviews, client content and editing magazines. In recent years, her interest in sustainability has led her to pursue renewable energy as her primary beat. Having written primarily about solar energy and storage, Catie also enjoys covering the positive human impact of renewable technology.
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