Back in the month of December 2010, Ofgem claimed that no industrial PV installations had been developed in the UK, despite solar energy becoming the most installed form of renewable energy in the country within the last five years. In the UK, domestic installations represent by far the largest number of installations.
Now, however, a 1.16-megawatt commercial solar project is being installed in Somerset, made viable thanks to the new feed-in tariff being offered by the UK government for electricity generated using solar power. The new array is being commissioned in February and electricity will be generated using a variety of roof-top and ground based, high-efficiency PV modules manufactured by a-sun.
“This on-going project demonstrates how current companies feel concerned about climate change, and how people trust renewable energies, knowing that these installations aim to compensate gas emissions,” says a-sun, which goes on to say that the project “is showing the way to an emerging industry”, and is “a perfect case study to future green electricity suppliers”.
a-sun believes specialists are looking at this large project as a reference in the UK, and that it will encourage investors or industrials to convert their current power source in a greener and safer way. “This milestone will bring huge benefits to observers who are overlooking the PV market and who will be convincing reluctant people that PV industry is a viable and beneficial source of power on a long-term basis, like in Germany or Italy,” a representative of a-sun told Renewable Energy Magazine.
It took approximately nine months to complete the project, which will have an estimated output of estimated 1,125,000kWh per annum, saving 550 tonnes of carbon each year. A significant proportion of the power generated will be used on site, with the remainder being injected into the grid.
Producing green electricity for 25 years
The photovoltaic panels, which represent the largest part of the cost of installation, weigh 15 Kg each, representing a total of 30 tonnes, well within the loading capacity of the roof. They are certified under the UK’s Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which is a requirement for the feed-in tariff to be applicable. a-sun reports that the 190-watt monocrystalline panels have an outstanding efficiency of 149W/ m2, which will “optimize the output of the system”.
a-sun offers a manufacturer warranty on product and a 25 years warranty on efficiency. The company has offices in Europe and was one of the first manufacturers with offices in London, showing its commitment to the UK solar market.
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