Energy Assets Net Zero (EA NZ), part of the Energy Assets group, has launched a new asset adoption package to design, install and maintain solar PV systems for commercial and industrial customers with no upfront costs.
Businesses and publicly funded organisations will be able to install solar PV arrays without upfront costs. EA NZ will design, install and maintain the solar arrays, charging a monthly rental payment, with end users in control of the power generated.
The UK government’s Solar Taskforce set the goal of increasing solar capacity to 70GW by 2035. While the biggest issues it identified were grid connections and the (lack of) workforce, installing solar PV arrays on business premises and buildings like warehouses, supermarkets and schools will help with achieving capacity targets.
According to EA NZ, solar PV can protect commercial and industrial users against future energy price fluctuations and mitigate the risks associated with future green energy compliance costs.
The UK saw a surge in solar installations over the past year – industry standards authority MCS reported over 180,000 domestic solar installations in 2023. By the end of this year, the UK will have about 20GW of solar generation capacity in place, with 8GW of energy storage.
EA NZ was launched by Energy Assets Group in 2023 to help the I&C sector transition to low carbon technologies. Its portfolio comprises a flexible EV charge point offer, machine learning energy efficiency software and a network connections service, in addition to its new solar PV offer.
Government funding for solar installation on public buildings
In May, it was announced that the latest phase of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme would provide £530 million of government investment for energy efficiency upgrades, including heat pumps, solar panels, insulation, and low-energy lighting, in public buildings across the country.
Solar was a major focus of the funding provision, with 84 projects receiving funding to install solar panels on public buildings. Ten NHS trusts are set to install solar panels on some or all of their hospital buildings, while Leeds City Council received almost £7 million to decarbonise 11 buildings with solar panels, of which nine are educational institutions.
