EXECUTIVE REPORT
Expert panels
Charles Wilson Engineers has lowered its carbon footprint by installing solar panels at most of its depots. Alan Guthrie finds out more.
Charles Wilson Engineers Ltd currently has 18 depots across the country and the majority of them have now been fitted with roof- mounted solar photovoltaic panels. This is one of several measures that have been adopted to lower the company’s carbon footprint, increase efficiency and reduce operating costs.
Each individual panel generates 285W and the number fitted at each location depends on the size, layout and orientation of the roof. The smallest array has 48 panels, while the largest has 174. A total of more than 1,000 have now been installed, utilising more than three miles of DC cable. “Overall, they will produce an estimated 240,000 kilowatt hours of power. This is the equivalent amount of electricity required by 50 average family homes for a year, and will reduce the amount of CO2 emissions we produce by 150 tonnes per annum,” said Mark Wilson.
Feasibility checks Solar panels at Charles Wilson’s Liverpool depot.
“Everyone has a part to play in protecting our environment and small steps can have a big impact,” Director Mark Wilson told EHN. “Solar technology is now tried and tested and, as we operate from a growing number of sites, we are always looking at ways in which we can reduce the cost of heating and lighting the buildings and make them more efficient. Our MD, David Gallagher, was keen to explore this initiative both to mitigate our environmental impact and the costs associated with running an operation such as ours.”
The company can calculate the savings it can make by generating its own electricity, and surplus energy can be sold back to the local grid. This money can then be reinvested into the business to increase the scope of other environmental initiatives.
Phased rollout programme
The first Charles Wilson depot to have solar panels fitted was its most recent facility in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which opened in October 2018. Since then there has been a phased rollout programme at other locations, including Ashford (Kent), Barking, Basildon, Birmingham which has two installations, Bristol, Harpenden, Hayes, Huntingdon, Liverpool, Manchester and Wandsworth.
A specialist contractor was brought in to undertake the installation work and to coordinate ongoing maintenance. A series of surveys are initially made to assess feasibility, evaluating a site’s exposure to wind and sunlight, and the integrity of the roof structure is inspected. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) check is also carried out to determine the overall energy efficiency of the existing building, similar to the way in which electrical appliances are graded with an A-G rating. If the score is below a certain level, an installation would be impractical because of the condition of the premises, although this has not been the case at any of Charles Wilson’s sites.
“We now have solar panels installed at every one of our depots where it is practical to do so, and our aim is to add them at any other locations we may open in the future,” said Mark Wilson.
As part of each system, an inverter unit is fitted inside the building. Resembling a large domestic combi-boiler, this converts the DC electricity from the panels into an AC current. It also gives a readout of the amount of power being produced in addition to a historical log
The company currently has 18 branches, including Hayes, pictured above. 10
MOVING FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE
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