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Architects install solar farm to reduce their own running costs

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Posted on August 9, 2011 by ecoadmin 

Brught & Associates

One of the first ground-mounted solar systems in the UK was commissioned by Shropshire landscape architects Bright & Associates. It’s aimed at ‘slashing’ its own energy bills and delivering a future proof return on investment through the feed-in tariff scheme.

An array of 400 panels have been installed on an unused field next to the practice’s office in rural Dovaston. It’s rows of panels angled at 30o blend into the surroundings, which was a key consideration for a firm of landscape architects.

The system, supplied and installed by The Low Carbon Energy Company, is now fully commissioned, producing electricity at a rate of 80,000kWh a year and saving over 50 tonnes of carbon emissions per annum.

As a result, the landscape architects will now benefit from feed-in tariff income of some £25,000 a year, representing a 12% return on investment for them.

Architects install solar farm to reduce there own running costs

As relatively-early adopters of this proven technology, the practice’s principal Rick Bright and his team have benefitted from the most favourable feed-in tariff rates. The Government has since announced that tariffs for new systems exceeding 50KWP, approximately half the size of the installation at the Bright offices, will now qualify for feed-in tariffs at a lower rate.

Not surprisingly, the system installer is reporting a surge in enquiries for schemes of 50KWP or less. Of course, much smaller rooftop installations also qualify for feed-in tariffs at a higher rate.

Richard Garth-Jones of The Low Carbon Energy Company, explains: “Ground-based installations like this will be particularly attractive where firms lack roof space and have land available. Rising costs of electricity and carbon footprint credentials are increasingly important to businesses of all sizes.”

More information: www.thelowcarbonenergycompany.co.uk and www.bright-associates.co.uk

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One Response to “Architects install solar farm to reduce their own running costs”

  1. ecoadmin says:

    August 9th, 2011 at 10:43 am
     

    At the moment feed-in tariffs are favorable for people who install photovoltaics. But you can bet your bottom dollar that successive governments will tinker with them as they become more popular and, consequently, ‘paybacks’ may grow less and less!

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