100 kW solar installation in Cambridgeshire
The largest solar PV installation the UK has been installed on a grain store in Cambridgeshire by renewable-energy specialist RenEnergy. In a joint venture with renewable-energy service company Esco Nrg, the 745 m2 array, which can produce 100 kW, was completed in six weeks.
Damian Baker, managing director of RenEnergy, says, ‘OfGem has confirmed that this is the largest operating installation of its kind in the UK.’
The installation is at Bartlow Estates in Cambridge. Its owner Tim Breitmeyer explains, ‘Bartlow had significant energy consumption in the grain store. With the introduction of feed-in tariffs, it seemed a good idea to research whether any renewable-energy technologies were appropriate to help reduce this consumption. We have a 1000 m2 south-facing roof on the store, so solar energy seems the obvious choice. The new PV system will provide us with cheaper consumption at around 50% of the cost of our current day rate, as well as providing a healthy return on investment.
