ESC College – Ore Valley Campus

Genfit worked in partnership with Brighton Energy Co-op and Energise Sussex to successfully deliver this community energy project in March 2019.  Ore Valley Campus in Hastings is a recently constructed 7,000 square metre site, designed to provide realistic working environments for its students.

Genfit adopt a collaborative approach to such partnerships and are currently developing community solar projects with Brighton and Hove City Council, the University of Brighton, Shorham Port development and the innovative Solar for Schools programme.

How can Genfit help?  We work with community groups across the UK to identify sites, assess feasibility, provide detailed technical specifications and produce energy & cash flow predictions.  We can ensure a quick and easy project delivery.  Contact the team on 0344 567 9032 to find out more.

We asked HMK’s Operations Manager (Steve Hardy) a selection of questions to provide additional background on HMK’s goals and feedback regarding the Solar PV system and its installation.

What factors were involved in your decision to install Solar?

The ability to produce clean energy from a sustainable source coupled with the financial ROI. The installation of the solar system will form a key factor in HMK’s application to obtain ISO14001 (Environmental Management System).

How did you find the service you received from Genfit?

GenFIT proved to be a knowledgeable partner who undertook the work in a professional manner.

Would you recommend a solar project to other businesses, if so why?

Yes, solar power generation offers a clean source of power generation that, once installed, offers superb benefits for the business – both in terms of onsite generated power and the financial payback.

How does it feel to see the project completed?

Excellent, it is very satisfying see the solar system operating at full capacity.

What did you think of the speed of installation (from planning to installation)?

The whole service was efficient from the planning phase through to installation and ultimately commissioning and testing

In the winter of 2015, our team installed an 80 kWp solar PV system at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, delivering clean, renewable energy to support the stadium’s operations.

Due to the stadium’s roof framework, the system is subject to intermittent shading throughout the day. To overcome this challenge and maximise performance, we installed SolarEdge optimisers across the array. In traditional string systems, shading on just one panel can reduce the output of an entire string. However, with optimiser technology, each panel operates independently, ensuring that any shading has minimal impact on the overall system performance.

This approach allows the system to maintain higher efficiency levels despite the complex roof structure, making it a smart solution for environments where shading cannot be avoided. By integrating advanced technology with careful system design, the installation continues to generate reliable renewable energy while reducing carbon emissions and energy costs for the site.

Projects like this demonstrate how solar PV can be successfully adapted to even the most challenging environments, unlocking the benefits of clean energy across a wide range of sectors.