Introduction

Beko, a leading home appliance brand, has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability and renewable energy by installing a state-of-the-art solar photovoltaic (PV) system at its Watford facility. This case study outlines the project’s objectives, implementation, challenges, and outcomes.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the solar PV installation at Beko’s Watford facility were:

Reduce Carbon Footprint: Lower the company’s reliance on non-renewable energy sources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Cost Savings: Decrease electricity costs through the generation of on-site renewable energy.

Corporate Responsibility: Enhance Beko’s reputation as an environmentally responsible company.

Energy Independence: Increase energy independence and resilience against grid power fluctuations and price increases.

Planning and Design

The planning phase involved a thorough assessment of the facility’s energy needs and the potential for solar energy generation. Key considerations included:

Roof Space: The available roof space was assessed to determine the maximum number of solar panels that could be installed.

Energy Consumption: Historical energy consumption data were analysed to size the system appropriately.

Orientation and Shading: The orientation of the building and potential shading from nearby trees were evaluated to optimise the placement of solar panels.

System Specifications

The solar PV system installed at Beko’s Watford facility includes:

Total Capacity: 88.40 kW

Number of Panels: 208 SOLARWATT panels

Inverters: 1 Solaredge 66.6K Synergy Manager

Mounting System: Tilted mounting frames to maximize solar exposure

Installation

The installation process was completed over a period of two weeks, Key steps included:

Installing Panels: Lifting panels to the roof and installing them

Electrical Integration: Connecting the PV system to the facility’s electrical infrastructure.

Commissioning: Testing and commissioning the system to ensure optimal performance.

Back in May we completed a 102.66 kWp solar panel installation at Well-Fed at Home based in Deeside. The solar panel system was designed to harness the power of the sun and reduce the factories carbon footprint. Genfit’s expert team worked closely with Well Fed at Home to ensure a seamless installation process, ensuring minimal disruption to daily operations. With this new solar installation, Well Fed at Home is now able to generate clean energy and reduce its reliance on traditional fossil fuels, aligning with its commitment to sustainability and community well-being. The installation is also expected to save the store thousands of pounds on energy costs over the life of the system.

The 102.66 kWp system consists of 236 Longi solar panels with half the amount of optimisers connecting to 2 solar panels each wired up to the two SolarEdge 33.3K inverters which were placed in the office above the factory. The system is estimated to produce 82.73 MWh of solar energy every year and reduce there carbon footprint by 16 tonnes which is equivalent to 735 trees beign planted.