Property fund manager, Highcross has installed a 250kWp solar system on its 1000 Lakeside building in Portsmouth.

Highcross decided to install solar on the building as part of its CSR policy that is aiming to minimise carbon emissions across its portfolio. The fund manager appointed Syzygy as a renewables consultant for the project, charged with specifying, tendering and inspecting the project. 

The PV installation was completed by Leeds-based renewable installer, GMI Energy. The company was given an extremely tight deadline in order to meet Ofgem requirements. The clients needed the system to be installed, commissioned and witness tested by the DNO in three weeks. In order to hit these timelines, GMI had to be onsite within a week of receiving the order. 

GMI had to organise all cranage over a weekend in order to get all the equipment on the building’s roof with minimal disruption. In addition, GMI had to plan a site power shutdown over the weekend to enable the array to be connected to the grid.  

The solar array is arranged over three roofs, utilising a mixture of flat- and pitched-roof mounting systems. The system comprises ReneSola modules partnered with SolarMax inverters.

The 250kWp solar array is expected to generate around 230,000kWh of electricity a year, with occupiers of the building set to benefit from consumption of the electricity generated.

GMI Energy expects the commercial solar market in the UK to pick up in the near future, despite disappointing levels of installs. The company notes that the introduction of the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) in 2015 will affect more companies than any previous carbon legislation and, combined with rising energy costs and growing awareness on the benefits of onsite generation, an increasing number of commercial property fund managers will turn to PV.