The largest community-owned roof mounted solar array in the UK

Background

Prodrive is a world leading motorsport and technology business. They are best known for motorsport, but they are now a technology business working in a range of sectors with operations in Banbury and Milton Keynes employing more than 500 staff.

Challenge

For this Commercial Solar Panels project Prodrive partnered with the Low Carbon Hub to host our biggest solar installation yet.  A grand total of 2,446 solar panels will help Prodrive reduce their carbon footprint and energy bills, will generate funds to benefit local communities and will be looked after for their twenty-year life by the Low Carbon Hub – all at no cost whatsoever to the business. Reducing the carbon footprint of Prodrive complements their own efforts to reduce carbon through innovation on electric and hybrid vehicles.

The installation and the stats

The installation took place at Prodrive’s headquarters in Banbury. The business is an iconic part of Banbury’s scene so the panels will spread awareness of climate change and energy in the area. The 2,446 solar panels stacked on end would be as tall as the Alps and would save the equivalent in CO₂ as driving a petrol-powered car to the moon and back every year!

• 636kWp installed capacity
• 2,446 Solar panels
• 526,575kWh annual generation
• 20-year agreement to host Low Carbon Hub solar PV project
• 39% of the site’s electricity needs met on-site
• 469 tonnes CO2 emissions to be saved over the project life