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Industry Spotlights
Commercial Solar Panels For UK Car Factories & Showrooms
Industry Spotlights
The car industry urgently needs innovative sustainable solutions. Solar panels are an ideal environmental choice, offering a cost-effective and simple way to cut down carbon emissions and provide clean energy to both car factories and showrooms across the UK. If you have significant commercial roof space, this can be utilised to generate your own electricity. Find out more here.
Yes, solar panels can absolutely be installed on commercial buildings. This is what we specialise in at Electron Green. Installing solar panels on the roof of commercial buildings does not require planning permission, meaning it is a straightforward way for your business to make a green commitment. At Electron Green we have a knowledgeable team of consultants, engineers, and technicians which makes installing solar panels stress-free for our clients.
For UK car factories, large roof space provides the perfect location for a large solar panel system. We are currently working with a large industrial and warehouse operation in Germany to develop large-scale rooftop solar systems, assisting them from initial assessment to maintenance after completion.
For car showrooms, solar panels can also work effectively on the roof, and we have skills in understanding building ownership, meaning that as a tenant, landlord, or owner-occupier, solar panels can be installed. Solar panels over car parks can also work well for car dealerships, providing additional shade.
While daylight reaches the panels, the solar PV system will continuously supply electricity. Depending on when and how much energy you use, solar can meet up to 40% of your electricity needs.
Our solar PV system will deliver electricity directly into your building. Your business will use the electricity generated by the solar panels first while staying connected to the grid, so there’s no need to change your existing utility supplier. They will also help you save costs: the cost of your electricity supply from a utility company is comprised of two elements, broadly split as raw electricity (‘commodity price’) and levies, taxes, and transmission (‘non-commodity price’). With the electricity supply from the roof, there is only the raw electricity to consider.
In Europe, the success of solar panels on car factories has already been proven, as Volvo has installed 15,000 solar panels at its automotive factory in Ghent, Belgium as part of their vision of climate-neutral manufacturing.
There are a number of advantages that solar PV can offer to car factory and showroom owners. Not only does it provide clean energy, but solar panels are also more economically viable than other forms of energy, plus they are easy to install. There is a lot that UK businesses to take advantage of with solar PV.
The automotive industry is constantly looking for ways to become more sustainable. Solar panels take an unproductive space in the building and turn it into a source of renewable electricity. For car factories in the UK, this makes a difference in lowering carbon emissions to ‘green’ the supply chain and manufacturing process. In car showrooms, solar panels are a clear visual signal to customers that your business is climate-conscious and increasingly important with consumers. As electric vehicles are a fast-growing market, as well as providing electricity for charging points, solar panels highlight that your showroom is a local leader in green transport.
We know that solar panels will not work for commercial businesses unless they are cost-effective. In fact, solar panels can significantly reduce your energy bills and provide cheap electricity. Car factories often have large rooftops which are ideal for a large solar system which generates a substantial amount of clean energy. Having your own local source of electricity also shields your business from rising energy prices and from peak-time electricity costs.
Our priority at Electron Green is to make it simple for our clients to benefit from solar panels. Flat or low-sloping roofs are ideal for mounting solar panels, increasing the ease of installation. Electron Green conducts thorough site assessments and leads the contracting, procurement and installation process, making it easier than ever to benefit from commercial solar panels.
With Electron Green, it can be zero-cost. We are pioneering a Free Solar offer, paying for the total installation and maintenance of the solar panels. You would only pay for the solar electricity you use, as 20p/kWh as of July 2023, and have the option to buy the solar panels from us at any point.
Buying solar panels yourself can also yield substantial long-term benefits. The UK government offers incentives such as the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) where they provide ongoing payments for electricity generated by solar PV. Any excess electricity generated by the panels can also be transferred to the grid, meaning you would receive payment from National Grid as part of their net-metering scheme. Solar panels have a long lifespan of twenty-five years or more, meaning if you do buy the panels upfront, the return on investment (ROI) is favourable.
We will carry out a consultation to understand your energy needs and budget, and design a tailored solar solution. For car factories and car showrooms, maximising electricity generation will be a priority. Factors such as roof orientation, tilt, shading from nearby trees, and structural integrity of buildings will all be considered. South-facing roofs are the best option as they received the most sunlight but East and West facing roofs can also work well.
Following our detailed assessment, the Electron Green engineers will design a system and communicate with you the number of solar panels and inverters for each building. When you are happy with the design, our skilled technicians will mount the solar panels. Quality workmanship and durable installations are our priorities. Following installation, we provide ongoing maintenance as well as dealing with all the necessary paperwork and regulations.
Electron Green has over thirty years of experience in the renewable sector. After pioneering solar panels for residential buildings, we are turning our focus wholly to solar systems for commercial and industrial businesses. That means that we are not simply a solar panel company, but we understand the unique set of needs and challenges of each sector and each individual business, and we prioritise cost-effective renewable solutions.
For more information on solar PV installation for the UK car industry, get in touch with our team today, we are happy to answer any questions.