RENEWABLE ENERGY GREEN ENERGY COMMUNITY PROJECT BEGINS DELIVERING POWER
A community energy project by E.ON Next that generates green energy from a primary school and shares it with nearby homes has begun delivering its first power. For the project, the company funded and
installed more than 220 solar panels on St Luke’s CEVA Primary School in Canning Town, east London. The school effectively benefits from discounted electricity, with a portion of the power also shared to neighbours at a reduced price. The 221 solar panels will generate around
92,000 kWh a year – the equivalent power needs of about 34 average UK homes and enough to cover over half of the school’s energy needs. The scheme uses smart metering technology
to match solar generation at the school with consumption in local homes, applying credits to customers’ bills for the solar energy they use. This approach is expected to save the school and community more than £6,500 a year. Speaking at the launch event, Ramona Vlasiu,
chief operating officer at E.ON Next, said: “The energy transition is about making an energy system that works for people rather than against them. It’s about making energy more
affordable and sustainable. And through a combination of technology, innovation and products, we can empower customers and make energy a force for good. “There are more than 20,000 primary schools across the country, not to mention the potential of other schools, universities, public buildings and car parks, so the opportunity to turn these into clean energy hubs that support their communities is enormous.” Matt Hipperson, headteacher at St Luke’s CEVA
Primary School, said: “This exciting partnership with E.ON partners perfectly with the original trust deed for the school of over 150 years which relates to serving the community. The solar panels, alongside E.ON’s technical expertise, allow us to use our large roof to help reduce electricity bills for the community we serve.” The project is a blueprint for more sustainable and efficient energy but E.ON has warned current regulations prevent wider use. The company is calling on the Government and the energy regulator to support the expansion of such innovative projects by updating regulations and policy costs.
With more than 20,000 primary schools across
the UK – along with universities, car parks, and other public buildings – the opportunity is enormous. Estimates show potential for up to 117GW of low carbon electricity from roofs and other developed spaces such as new buildings, warehouse rooftops, or car parks, but unlocking its full potential requires an urgent update to market rules.
E.ON Next
www.eonnext.com
LIGHTWEIGHT PV MODULES ENABLE ON-SITE POWER GENERATION FOR THE ZEHNDER GROUP
Together with Ampere Dynamic and AEW Energie, the PVBM team of GoodWe has implemented a photovoltaic project on the rooftops of the Zehnder Group in Gränichen, Switzerland. Around 12,000 frameless Galaxy Lightweight
Modules were installed using a special adhesive mounting process, meaning no roof penetration. With a total system capacity of approximately 450 kWp, the installation serves as a reference project for the industrial use of lightweight roofs. The roof statics presented a particular
challenge: while part of the area could be fitted with standard modules, most of the roof required lightweight modules due to the absence of a
supporting substructure – a common scenario for industrial and logistics buildings. Thanks to their low weight of just 5.6 kg/m², the Galaxy Modules were ideally suited for Zehnder’s lightweight roof design, enabling the company to cover part of its energy needs sustainably through self-consumption. For Zehnder, the solution enables greater on-site power generation and self- consumption, with the option to store surplus energy in battery systems in the future. This reduces energy costs and lowers Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
GoodWe
https://emea.goodwe.com/ BIOPHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY BENEFITS FROM NEW 4 MW SOLAR PV PLANT
Greenvolt Next has developed a 4 MW solar PV plant for biopharmaceutical company Sanofi’s manufacturing campus in Waterford, Ireland. The project was
structured under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), requiring no
upfront investment from the company and allowing it to access renewable electricity at a stable and predictable price. The solar PV plant comprises more than 5,700 panels and 10 inverters.
The installation will generate approximately 3.2 GWh of renewable electricity annually, covering around 20% of the site’s energy needs and
enabling the avoidance of 950 tonnes of CO2 each year. The project was completed within a four-month schedule and Greenvolt Next will operate and maintain the facility for 20 years, ensuring performance, safety and reliability throughout its lifecycle. The project strengthens the site’s long-term competitiveness, ensuring it can continue to grow, innovate and manufacture high-quality medicines sustainably. Cian O Brien, site lead, Sanofi Ireland said: “Generating our own
renewable energy on-site is vital in helping us meet our sustainability targets, aiming for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 across all scopes, with a trajectory towards carbon neutrality by 2030. With Greenvolt Next Ireland’s expertise in renewable energy installations for large businesses like us, we will be able to significantly reduce our reliance on the grid, generating 20% of our energy on-site each year.”
Greenvolt Next
https://next.greenvolt.com/
32 ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Winter 2025
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