ABP commences work on Humber’s largest roof mounted solar scheme
ABP says it is investing £6.8 million in the Port of Hull to install the Humber’s largest roof mounted solar scheme.
Currently, installations at the Ports of Immingham and Goole produce 4.5 MW and 1.1 MW respectively. Once completed, the 6.5 MW solar scheme at the Port of Hull will more than double the Humber Ports’ renewable energy generation, increasing it to over 12 MW, which will supply almost 29% of the ports’ energy requirement.
Simon Bird, Director of ABP Humber, comments:
“This solar installation is another vital step toward making our energy supply even more sustainable and even greener. It will make more use of the hybridised port equipment we have invested in to carry out port operations. I’m excited to see where this green energy revolution can take us as a port operator, as we look to decarbonise further our own operations and, in turn, those of our customers and the wider supply chain.”
The panels, which are being installed by the UK’s leading commercial solar installer, Custom Solar, will cover ABP warehouses and the engineering workshops on the Port of Hull. As warehouses are completed they will be switched on, with the entire installation set to be online and producing clean power by July 2020.
Gary Sucharewycz, Development Director at Custom Solar, said: “In order for this project to be sanctioned, an incredible amount of work has taken place, working with ABP and the DNO Northern Powergrid. It has been a fantastic achievement by all involved and has ensured this project was able to progress to fruition.”
Once installed, the solar panels will save 2,600 tonnes of CO2e per annum, equating to the energy needs of 1,600 average UK homes. And upon decommissioning, the solar panels and the frames in which they sit are 100% recyclable.
With this new installation up and running, 17 of ABP’s 21 ports will have renewable energy projects in operation, generating clean power for the company. In 2018, 12.2% of all the electricity ABP used was generated by onsite renewable projects and more projects came online in 2019.
Matthew Brailsford, Managing Director at Custom Solar, said:
“We are delighted to be installing another iconic solar project on the Humber for Associated British Ports. It has taken the Custom Solar team over two years to plan the project alongside the ABP engineering team due to the sheer scale and complexity of the project.
We are extremely proud to be installing one of the UK’s largest rooftop solar system and we very much look forward to unveiling the completed system in 2020 once all aspects have been safely installed and commissioned.”