Greenvolt Next UK has announced that it has agreed deals to install rooftop solar arrays on two major shopping centres in the UK.
The two installations have a combined capacity of approximately 580kWp, and are installed on the Weston Favell Shopping Centre in Northampton and Birchwood Shopping Centre in Warrington. The array on the Weston Favell Shopping Centre will be made up of 848 solar panels with a total 381kWp installed capacity, spread over 4,114m2 of the centre’s roof space.
The installation is set to begin in early July; once completed, it will generate enough power to supply around 26% of the centre’s average consumption. Meanwhile, installation has already begun on the array on the Birchwood Shopping Centre, which will host 452 solar PV panels over 1,564m2 of roof space; the 200kWp capacity will supply around 29% of the centre’s energy needs.
The installations have been financed under power purchase agreements (PPAs) with MDSR Investments, the commercial real estate owner of the two shopping centres. Under the agreement, MDSR Investments will purchase cleaner, cheaper energy; the system is expected to prevent over 145 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year, saving 98 tonnes from Weston Favel and 47 from Birchwood.
Owen Power, CEO of Greenvolt Next UK and Ireland said that the firm is “thrilled” to support MDSR in their decarbonisation efforts. He explained: “The large unused area of adaptable roof space that shopping centres have makes them perfectly suited to integrate solar installations.”
This is not the only recent example of large-scale buildings looking towards solar PV to reduce their environmental impact. In March, health and wellness club operator the Bannatyne Group installed solar panels on the rooftops of eight of its sites thanks to a PPA deal secured through a partnership with Shawton Energy.
Last month, it was announced that two local authority-owned leisure centres had received rooftop solar panel installations thanks to funding from Sport England. Under this funding injection, Workington Leisure Centre in Cumberland has been able to install a 160kW solar array while Witham Leisure Centre near Braintree, Essex, has completed a 407kW solar panel installation spread across its rooftops and a new solar carport.
