Following a new partnership agreement, the Forester Group will install rooftop solar panels at two Dundee care homes that will generate a total of approximately 90MWh of energy annually.
The solar provider has entered into a new partnership with residential care company Priority Care to install a total of 280 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels across two of its care homes as part of a £210,000 futureproofing investment to improve the energy efficiency of its buildings.
Harestane Care Home will receive 144 solar panels with a total capacity of 58.32kWp, plus two direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) inverters.
Roughly 75% of the 45MWh of energy produced by the solar panels annually is expected to be used to power the care home’s amenities, such as a hydrotherapy swimming pool and a commercial kitchen.
Priority Care’s St. Columba’s Care Home will have 136 solar panels installed, with a total capacity of 57.12kWp, alongside two inverters. Like Harestane, the panels are expected to produce 45MWh of energy annually, with 90% of this energy expected to be used to power the care home’s fully electric heating system.
Installation is expected to be completed at Harestane by the end of this month, and at the end of February for St Columba’s.
Once completed, the energy savings for Harestand and St. Columba’s is expected to pay off Priority Care’s investment in nine and just under seven years respectively.
“Using solar power to futureproof our buildings is something we have been considering for a number of years. The huge increase in energy costs was the real driver and pushed us to move ahead with our plans,” said Andy Prior, director at Priority Care.
“This is a very significant investment for Priority Care. We are delighted with the results at Harestane and look forward to seeing work start at St. Columba’s in the new year.”
The Forster Group is growing its roster of partners; earlier this year, the solar provider announced that it had been appointed the approved supplier of solar and associated roofing services for NFU Energy.