Solar Panel Installation Case Studies
CASE STUDY: Ace Solar Energy helps produce zero carbon homes across Telford and Wrekin.
Brief/Scope:
The aim of the project is to produce zero carbon homes across Telford and Wrekin using a combination of energy technologies to be retrofitted to 68 existing homes and 11 new builds – where planning permissions have already been granted.
The project will also establish a local MIS 3012 battery storage standard training programme through Telford College with Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation to upskill the existing workforce and train apprentices in battery storage installation, delivering legacy benefits to the Marches community beyond the project itself.
The impact for generations to come will be low energy bills easing fuel poverty in Social Housing; reducing the load on the local grid, and eliminating carbon through energy consumption. The technologies that will be combined are Solar PV and battery energy storage units.
The Installation:
Ace Solar Energy was appointed as one of two specialist installers to undertake the installation of Solar PV panels, inverters and battery storage on homes identified as suitable in conjunction with local authority and Ace Solar Energy.
Key roles undertaken by Ace Solar Energy include:
– Initial site survey, assessment and individual installation design for each house;
– On-site liaison with tenants and liaison with clerk of works;
– Liaison with District Network Operator, ensuring compliance with the Energy Network Association requirements for connecting generation modules to the National Grid
– Site survey, Risk assessment and method statement for each property
– Installation and commissioning of on-roof solar PV panels, Inverter and battery within the home; – Issuing of all certification including MCS, NICEIC, Buildings regulations and Test Commissioning – System handover to the tenant, paperwork handover to AceOn
As part of the appointment process, Ace Solar Energy was required to supply, amongst other things, full RAMS, Health & Safety policies, Insurance, MCS certification, Electrical Certificate, Buildings regulations certification and warranties.
Details of the installation were revealed to the local press:
The £1m project, led by the local authority, has government backing as it could prove to be a blueprint for renewable energy schemes across the country.
In total, 68 homes will be retrofitted with battery storage and solar panels and a further 11 new energy-efficient homes will be constructed.
The local authority is working with Telford-based battery specialists and electrical wholesalers to install the systems.
The Results:
Overall, the project will deliver 87 jobs in the next year, a 1,678,750 kWh reduction in energy consumption off the grid and a 720-tonne reduction in carbon dioxide over a 10-year period, it is claimed. It should also reduce energy bills for residents.
The Telford-based battery specialists are the full energy storage provider for the scheme, supplying solar panels, inverters and 7kWh batteries to allow the homes to capture solar energy and then store it for later use.
The director of the battery specialists said “This is a key project for us to be involved in and underlines the cutting edge work we are doing to deliver new energy storage systems which can play a leading role in fighting climate change for the next 20 years and more.
“We have developed a truly-innovative virtual power plant, which provides an energy storage system which can be both retro-fitted to existing homes and installed in new developments and is small enough to fit in a cupboard under stairs. It has huge potential to help housing associations, local authorities and developers across the country meet new climate change and carbon emission targets, reduce their tenants’ electricity bills and provide a new income stream for these organisations to support their investment in renewables.
“It is hugely exciting and we are delighted to be working with our partners on such a pioneering and important scheme which will showcase these technologies to a national audience.”
Local authority was awarded funding for the scheme via the Marches local enterprise partnership in August.
The executive director of operations for the local authority said: “The whole world faces a big carbon reduction challenge and we believe a good place for that to start is at home, so we are excited to get started on this project, prove our concept and then continue to invest across our remaining housing stock.”
CASE STUDY: Solar Panel Installation on Home & Country Living Store
A home and country living store in Worcester had big plans to go greener; not by just filling one of their roofs with solar panels but two! The intention was to supply power to their showroom, coffee shop and offices. Along side lowering their carbon footprint and in turn lowering their electricity bills as supplier prices grow.
With 88, 345W optimised panels covering their warehouse, 111, 365w all black optimised panels on their showroom and two Solar Edge inverters controlling the fully monitored system, making the system estimated to produce 59904kWh per annum.
CASE STUDY: Shropshire Manufacturer Goes Green with Solar Panel Investment
A Shropshire manufacturer is set to make a dramatic saving in its running costs thanks to a £160k investment in solar power.
It is estimated that the firm, which manufactures drainage and access covers, will power its factory with 90 per cent of the electricity it generates with the remaining 10 per cent being sold back to the national grid.
FSP has joined the growing list of forward thinking companies that see the benefits of installing Solar PV.
The installation was carried out by Wolverhampton based Ace Solar Energy, which installed five systems consisting consisted of four 30kwp and one 10kwp, giving a total capacity of 130,000kwp.
FSP Managing Director Richard Hilton said: “As a busy manufacturer, we operate a large volume of machinery and electricity accounts for a large portion of our fixed running costs.
“We wanted to make a long term investment into generating our own electricity”.
Richard added: “The solar PV system will make a huge difference to our monthly outgoings and also give us an income from the power that we send back to the grid. We are delighted with the levels that we are set to achieve.”
“Solar panels still provide an excellent return on investment and are a reliable and green source of energy, which help companies reduce their carbon footprint and insures against rapidly rising energy costs.’’
