Joining the realms of the soon-to-be-uncommon large-scale roof installations in the UK, a 500kW system has been completed in Suffolk. Going Solar has now finished work on the £1.2 million project, which features a total of 2,200 solar panels.
The series of warehouse rooftops were fitted with the solar modules at Debach Enterprises on Ransomes Europark in Ipswich within seven weeks, forming part of a major engineering and procurement programme managed by Going Solar.
Up to 440,000 kW hours of electricity will be generated annually by the 500kWp system, which means it will not only provide free power to the warehouse, but also export enough power back to the grid to supply more than 100 homes.
When planning this project, Going Solar was aware of the impending feed-in tariff deadline, which threatens to cut the incentive amounts for all photovoltaic systems over 50kW. It was important therefore, in order to receive the current rates, that the system was installed before August 1. “It looks likely the Government will significantly lower the tariff rates so potential customers need to plan installations now to beat the connection day deadline of March 31, 2012,” said company Director Charles Houston.
“A 50kWp solar power array should provide 42,500 kW hours a year which becomes more attractive when you factor in that electricity prices are predicted to rise by 60 per cent by 2016,” he concluded.