G&H

GAINING INDEPENDENCE FROM RISING ELECTRICITY PRICES

HIGHLIGHTS

Commercial rooftop solar array

Capable of generating 300,011kWh a year

Reduces electricity bill by up to £12k a month

System will pay for itself within three years

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With an electricity bill of £50,000 a month, G&H was keen to reduce its spend as much as possible. The fibre-optic manufacturer had already commissioned us for a roof-top solar install at its Torquay site, and wanted something similar for its Ilminster HQ.

We fitted a 300kWp roof-mounted system, built from 790 panels to cover both roofs of the building. On a clear day that should be capable of providing between 25% and 35% of the company’s power. Across the whole year it will contribute 10% of the company’s 3GW

G&H’s Barry Luke reckons that will cut bills by as much as £12,000 a month and the system will pay for itself within three years.

“At current electricity prices we were looking at a doubling of our bills,” he says. “Now the amount we’re saving will pay for the installation by 2025. And if electricity prices keep rising, it will have paid for itself even faster – perhaps within two years.”

G&H’s strategy is to use renewables wherever they can be fitted. Next up is a ground-mount solar array on a strip of unused land that wraps around the Ilminster car park, followed by electric car-charging ports with solar on the roof.

“We’ve got 100 people here and 200 car parking spaces, so we could afford to use some of that space for electricity generation,” says Luke.

Being able to generate its own power gives G&H a level of independence and insulation from increasing electricity prices. That not only gives it a commercial advantage but also puts it on the right side of the fight against climate change.