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The UK’s largest solar power system installed on a single continuous roof is set to be built at a factory in Bridgwater.
More than 18,000 solar panels will be installed at Refresco’s manufacturing site on the edge of town, creating a system expected to generate around 7.5GWh of renewable electricity every year.
The huge 8.5MWp installation is expected to become the largest solar PV system on a single continuous roof anywhere in the UK, according to the companies behind the project.
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Once up and running, it is expected to provide around 17 per cent of the Bridgwater factory’s annual electricity needs, reducing the amount of power the site has to draw from the national grid.
Work on the project is already well underway at the factory, which operates around the clock. The drinks manufacturing plant is a leading provider for Complete Beverage Solutions.
The Bridgwater installation forms the centrepiece of a much wider solar programme being rolled out across four Refresco UK manufacturing sites.
Together, the four projects will have a capacity of 21.5MWp, in what the company describes as one of the largest commercial and industrial solar programmes undertaken in the UK.
James Logan, managing director of Refresco UK, said: “Reducing the environmental impact of our manufacturing operations is an important part of Refresco’s long-term strategy, alongside maintaining the scale, efficiency and reliability our customers expect.
“This programme will enable us to generate more renewable electricity directly at our production facilities, reduce our reliance on grid-supplied electricity and strengthen the long-term resilience of our operations.
“By reducing emissions from our manufacturing activities, we can also support our customers in achieving their own sustainability objectives and addressing emissions within their supply chains.”
GB NRG was chosen to develop and deliver the four-site programme after a competitive process involving 12 commercial solar providers.
Zestec Renewable Energy was subsequently selected to fund and manage the solar infrastructure over the long term. The projects are being delivered through long-term agreements backed by funds managed by Octopus Energy Generation.
Installing such a large system while the Bridgwater factory continues operating 24 hours a day has presented challenges, with work planned to avoid interrupting production and to protect the building’s roof.
Jon Antoniou, founder and CEO of GB NRG, said: “We are extremely proud to have been selected by Refresco to deliver what is a genuinely landmark solar programme.
“An 8.5MWp installation on a single roof is an exceptional project in its own right, and across the four sites we expect to deliver 21.5MWp of onsite solar generation.”
Meanwhile, Toby Smith, COO of Zestec Renewable Energy, said large rooftop projects allowed businesses to make use of space which would otherwise go unused.
He said: “Large-scale rooftop solar gives businesses such as Refresco the opportunity to make productive use of existing roof space, reduce reliance on grid electricity and make meaningful progress towards their sustainability objectives, without the need for upfront capital investment.”
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