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Client
Sector
Location
Technology
System Size
Est. Annual Output
No. of solar panels
Est. Annual Carbon Savings
Client
apetito is a leading food producer and supplier, delivering nutritious, chef-prepared meals to care homes, hospitals, schools, and local authorities across the UK. Through its consumer division, Wiltshire Farm Foods, the company also provides frozen meals direct to households nationwide.
With a strong reputation for quality and innovation, apetito places sustainability at the heart of its operations and has committed to achieving Net Zero by 2040, embedding carbon reduction, responsible sourcing, and social value into its long-term ESG strategy.
Electricity accounts for nearly 30% of apetito’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions, making renewable generation a critical part of its decarbonisation plan. To accelerate progress towards its short-term carbon reduction targets and long-term Net Zero ambition, the company invested in a major solar expansion at its main manufacturing site in Trowbridge.
“We know that, as part of the Plan for Change, the Government is calling for businesses to better utilise the space of their existing car parks by investing in solar carports that will produce clean, renewable energy to power their operations. We are proud to already be making strides with this initiative to significantly increase our self-generation of electricity, particularly across our manufacturing site, supporting our ambitious emissions reduction targets and ensuring that we decarbonise the business in the right way.” Lee Sheppard – Group Director of Sustainability, apetito
Clean Energy Project
Working in partnership with SolarSense, apetito delivered one of the largest renewable energy investments in the region. The clean energy project comprises 2,835 solar panels installed across all viable building roofs, as well as multiple solar carports. This dual approach maximises on-site energy generation while enhancing site infrastructure by providing sheltered parking for staff and visitors.
Designed and delivered by SolarSense, the combined renewable energy systems now generate around 15% of the site’s total electricity demand, delivering immediate cost savings and reducing reliance on the grid. The installation also saves around 245 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, directly supporting apetito’s reduction targets and reinforcing its commitment to Net Zero by 2040.
Reflecting our shared values of social responsibility and circularity, SolarSense and apetito also ensured that more than 150 decommissioned solar panels from earlier installations were responsibly reused. Donated to the local charity Paul’s Place, the panels now provide long-term energy savings that directly support vital services for disabled adults.
Beyond the direct financial and carbon savings, the project provides a visible statement of apetito’s sustainability leadership, with the solar carports serving as a daily reminder of its commitment to reducing environmental impact.
Services Delivered
Technical Consultancy – full site assessment, system modelling, and energy strategy aligned with apetito’s financial goals and carbon reduction targets.
Design, Supply, Construction and Commissioning – delivery of rooftop solar PV and solar carport systems, including full performance testing.
Project Management – turnkey delivery with minimal disruption to operations at the Trowbridge manufacturing site.
Decommissioning & Reuse – responsible removal of earlier PV systems, with 150+ panels repurposed and donated to Paul’s Place charity.
Full Handover – G99 grid connection approval, operation and maintenance pack, and certification to relevant UK and IEC standards.
Ongoing Support – monitoring and maintenance to optimise long-term performance and savings.
Results
Enhanced Energy Resilience – Around 15% of the site’s electricity demand now supplied by onsite renewable solar power, reducing reliance on the grid and safeguarding from volatile energy prices.
Carbon Reduction – 245 tonnes of carbon emissions saved each year, supporting apetito’s ESG and sustainability targets.
Financial Savings – immediate reductions in energy costs with long-term protection from volatile grid prices.
Enhanced Site Infrastructure – staff and visitors benefit from sheltered parking with a visible sign of the company’s sustainability leadership.
Social Impact – over 150 panels reused and donated to Paul’s Place, lowering energy costs and supporting vital services for disabled adults.
Industry Leadership – apetito sets a benchmark for responsible manufacturing and sustainable investment within the food sector.
Charity Project
Driving Sustainability and Social Value for Pauls Place
“With over one hundred solar panels going on the roof, we’ll have more money to spend on the members, rather than building facilities. Prior to this, we were looking at electricity bills of £1,200 – £1,500 per month. When you put that across a year, that is a phenomenal amount of money we need to raise to just get us through. Having SolarSense and apetito come along and say that we can not only put solar panels on the roof, but provide the scaffolding, inverters and fire kill switches too – and make it all happen – it has an extraordinary impact for us as a very small charity.” Lynda Williams, CEO of Paul’s Place
SolarSense is an employee-owned Certified B Corp, committed to the highest standards of quality and environmental performance, backed by ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accreditation. We consult, design, install, monitor and maintain award-winning renewable energy projects to deliver maximum financial and carbon savings for leading brands in England and Wales.
Are you interested in finding out how much your business could save with renewable energy? Request your free savings assessment and get a tailored breakdown of your potential energy cost reduction, carbon savings, and return on investment.
Turn Your Unused Roof Space & Car Park into a Revenue-Generating Asset