Debach Enterprises announce the commissioning of a 500 kWp solar photovoltaic roof top installation

by Press Release on 2011-07-26

Debach Enterprises  announce the commissioning of a 500 kWp solar photovoltaic roof top installation in Ipswich – currently the biggest in the UK!!!

Debach Enterprises Ltd,  in conjunction withVigor Renewables, the specialist renewable developer, today announced it has commissioned a 500kW peak solar PV roof mounted development on their warehouse roofs at their depot on Ransomes Europark in Ipswich, Suffolk.

The installation, a UK Feed-in Tariff (“FiT”) backed scheme, covers over 60,000ft2 of roof space and is anticipated to generate over 400,000 kWh per year – the installation will supply nearly all of Debach Enterprises’ annual power requirements at this site.

Bee Kemball, MD of Debach Enterprises said: “As a privately owned and run company, the opportunity for us to source low cost energy from a sustainable source clearly helps our power and financial planning.  The innovative deal using the roof of our warehouses is financially rewarding immediately and long term, giving us, and our customers, operational and most importantly environmental benefits.  This development is helping is towards our goal of carbon neutrality within a logistics business, and has been key to working towards becoming a Carbon Champion here in Suffolk.  We are also pleased to be helping Suffolk become the Greenest County”.

Funding for the development was provided by a number of EIS funds managed by Downing Corporate Finance. This is one of the UK’s largest Solar PV developments commissioned to date under the FiT scheme.

The site has been designed and developed  by Vigor Renewables, with Going Solar Limited – a UK based installer, installing the system using panels supplied by Samsung C&T, a UK based arm of the Samsung Group.

Oliver Hughes, CEO of Vigor Renewables said: “Vigor Renewables is very pleased to launch this first large scale roof mounted solar PV development for  Debach Enterprises  and we look forward to managing and maintaining the site over the years to come.

In return for a 25 year lease on the roof space, the installation will provide Debach Enterprises with a long term fixed power off-take arrangement,  with any excess power produced  being exported to the national grid.

Said Bijary, MD of Vigor Solar and designer of the system adds: ‘While we are very pleased to be launching this large scale development now, we are obviously disappointed with the proposed changes to the FiT scheme for larger scale solar PV developments. We understand the need for the review but commercial roof top projects such as this, where energy generation and consumption are at the same physical location and the supply and demand profile are in sync, are a perfect tool to reduce peak demand from the grid and future proof UK energy shortages with renewable sourced power.

www.debach.co.uk