Despite the fact that many others are throwing in the solar power towel due to feed-in tariff cuts, North East-based OPUS Green is ploughing ahead with its £1.9 million contract with Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) to install solar PV on over 30 of the housing blocks the company manages.
The contract to design, supply, install and commission the solar projects includes 30 buildings across Newcastle in areas such as Elswick, Kenton, Shieldfield and Newburn. Just last month OPUS Green used an 80 Tonne crane to lift 260 ET Solar panels onto the rooftops of the first three multi storey blocks of flats in Elswick.
Managing Director of OPUS Green Chris Cassells who was on site to oversee the operations said:
“Close collaboration with YHN and their residents has helped us meet the logistical challenges of installing approximately 260 solar panels and associated equipment onto the rooftops of three blocks of flats of up to five floors in Newcastle.
“This is a great example of a Council taking a proactive approach to reduce their Carbon footprint by installing renewable energy solutions. This is one of the first large commercial solar schemes in the region and we are confident tenants will notice the environmental benefits of installing solar PV,” he continued.
John Lee, Chief Executive of Your Homes Newcastle said: “The introduction of feed-in tariffs has made it cost effective for us to install solar photovoltaic panels onto the roofs of properties. We are looking to install them on about 1,000 properties in the next two years. This will help to reduce our customers’ expenditure on energy, in turn reducing the number of tenants living in fuel poverty.”
OPUS Green were appointed following a competitive tender process, which included assessments of value for money, contractor experience, quality procedures, and the ability to complete the project in the required timescales. The company has recently moved into larger premises at Newcastle Business Village, near Longbenton, North Tyneside, which includes 750,000 sq ft of warehousing facilities.
