Weald Electronics, a sister company of Lane Electronics, reduces Carbon Footprint
To improve the energy efficiency of our operations and improve our carbon footprint we have recently installed a 63kW solar PV array at our sister company Weald Electronics Slinfold Lodge HQ. Working with the Brighton Energy Cooperative we received a grant towards the costs from the Community Solar Accelerator programme and are the first business applicants in our area to complete such an installation.
Simon Hammerton, Managing Director of Weald Electronics, says, “We are always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint and achieve our environmental goals while finding ways to mitigate the ongoing cost concerns of our customers. We were very pleased to have been able to take advantage of the Community Solar Accelerator grant programme and expect our solar power installation to be a great benefit to our carbon footprint, cost base and product competitiveness. The current, exceptionally high electricity prices and predictions of further increases made us decide that this was a good time to intervene and install solar panels.”
Our factory uses energy intensive manufacturing processes and consumes a great deal of peak time electricity. For day-time business operations, the use of solar panels is a particularly attractive option as the electricity can be used as it is being generated, making cost savings on electricity that would otherwise have to be imported from the national power grid.
The new PV installation means that Weald are now benefiting from reduced electricity bills and making carbon savings. Their South, East- and West-facing pitched roof aspects were suitable for solar panel installations, and the number of panels for these favourable elevations were maximised.
Solar Impact of the Weald Electronics Installation:
- 63kW Size Solar PV array
- Predicted production of electricity: 60,000 kWh per year
- Energy percentage covered by solar: 50% of total electricity cost.
- Predicted cost savings are expected to increase in following years with ongoing increases in the cost of electricity.
- Return on Investment: 3-4 years.
- Expected lifetime of the solar PV system: 25-30 years
- Carbon Savings: 13.9 tonnes CO2e
Hammerton continues,”We are making every effort to improve our green credentials, having already replaced 50% of our company car fleet with hybrid/fully electric vehicles and installed our first on site EV charging point for staff use.”