The installation, a UK Feed-in Tariff (“FiT”) backed scheme, covers over 60,000ft2 of roof space.
Vigor Renewables, the specialist renewable developer, today announced it has commissioned a 500kW peak solar PV roof mounted development on the warehouse roofs of the logistics company, Debach Enterprises Ltd in Ipswich, Suffolk.
The installation, a UK Feed-in Tariff (“FiT”) backed scheme, covers over 60,000ft2 of roof space and is anticipated to generate over 400,000 kWh per year – the installation will supply nearly all of Debach Enterprises’ annual power requirements at this site.
Funding for the development was provided by a number of EIS funds managed by Downing Corporate Finance. This is one of the UK’s largest Solar PV developments commissioned to date under the FiT scheme.
The site has been designed and developed by Vigor Renewables, with Going Solar Limited – a UK based installer, installing the system using panels supplied by Samsung C&T, a UK based arm of the Samsung Group.
Oliver Hughes, CEO of Vigor Renewables said: “Vigor Renewables is very pleased to launch this first large scale roof mounted solar PV development for Debach Enterprises and we look forward to managing and maintaining the site over the years to come.
…While the Solar PV industry continues to struggle with the proposed changes in Feed-in Tariffs and uncertainty over the future of these tariffs – we have focused our attentions on delivering commissioned sites. Our key advantage has been that we have equally strong technical and financial knowledge which has given us the ability to thoroughly evaluate the viability of the project from day one. This project was able to be deployed purely with a local UK workforce which broadened the knowledge base of these UK companies and allowed them to be competitive with their larger European contemporaries ”.
In return for a 25 year lease on the roof space, the installation will provide the site owner with a long term fixed power off-take arrangement, any excess power produced will be exported to the national grid.
Bee Kemball, MD of Debach Enterprises said: “As a privately owned and run company, the opportunity for us to source low cost energy from a sustainable source clearly helps our power and financial planning. The innovative deal using the roof of our warehouses and distribution facility is financially rewarding immediately and long term, giving us, and in turn our customers, operational and most importantly environmental benefits”.
Said Bijary, MD of Vigor Solar and designer of the system adds: ‘While we are very pleased to be launching this large scale development now, we are obviously disappointed with the proposed changes to the FiT scheme for larger scale solar PV developments. We understand the need for the review but commercial roof top projects such as this, where energy generation and consumption are at the same physical location and the supply and demand profile are in sync, are a perfect tool to reduce peak demand from the grid and future proof UK energy shortages with renewable sourced power.