The innovative solar energy system on the roof of the Bristol & Bath Science Park’s National Composites Centre (NCC) has beaten its target for renewable energy generated in its first year of operation.
The 600 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels make it one of the region’s largest roof-mounted systems. When commissioned a year ago, renewable energy specialist Solarsense set a contractual target of generating 127,000 kilowatt hours (kWh).
It has exceeded that target well within the time limit, producing enough free electricity to meet the equivalent needs of 33 typical homes.
The system meets a large percentage of the NCC’s annual electricity needs, helping to significantly reduce running costs while saving more than 70 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
The £25m NCC was the first building completed at the Science Park at Emersons Green, between Bath and Bristol. It was jointly developed by the University of Bristol and the South West Regional Development Agency, with additional funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the European Regional Development Fund.
Its solar energy system has helped it achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ environmental rating, one of the first industrial buildings in the UK to achieve this internationally recognised standard.
The world-class facility brings together leading industry experts and academics in the growing field of composites research and manufacture. NCC chief executive Peter Chivers said: “We have been delighted with the performance of the PV system and look forward to many more years of efficient energy supply.
“Nearly all high-performance composites product applications are undertaken for environmental benefit. Whether to reduce CO2 emissions, by making aircraft, cars or marine vehicles lighter and more efficient, or to enable the production of wind turbine blades for the generation of renewable energy, composites are contributing significantly to the green agenda. For this reason it is fitting that we are developing these cutting edge, high value products in a state of the art factory that is powered by solar energy.”
Richard Harris of Solarsense, based at Backwell, near Bristol, added: “We are very pleased that the NCC’s solar PV system has exceeded the target we were set. It shows that renewable energy on a large or small scale can help businesses and organisations reduce both their costs and their carbon footprint.
“The solar generator is not only helping the NCC minimise its carbon emissions but is also supplying much of the electricity needed to develop the composite materials that will help British manufacturers reduce their own environmental impacts.”
Among Solarsense’s high-profile solar arrays is the 200kWp system at the Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Somerset.
