CLEAN ENERGY NEWS

How solar is reducing the carbon footprint of the rail supply chain

Leading rail industry manufacturer Plasser UK has unveiled a massive new 339 solar panel system which will power its whole factory over the summer months, as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce carbon emissions.

Supplied by the UK renewable energy contractor Solarsense, the solar PV system will generate 114,000 kW hours of clean energy every year as well as mitigating more than 31 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. The energy will be used to power Plasser’s high tech rail connected factory in London, as well as supplying 18 new EV charge points.

Plasser UK are the agents for Plasser & Theurer who specialise in the development and manufacture of machines and equipment for the renewal and maintenance of railway track, and now lead the market in modern track maintenance. Plasser UK offer services including maintenance, repairs, overhauls, upgrades, training and spares of these large machines. The new solar PV system is the second the company has commissioned and will complement other sustainability measures including on-site energy generation, carbon offsetting, rainwater harvesting, recycling and waste management.

Michael Gowen, HSQE & Facilities Manager at Plasser UK said: “Environmental concerns are at the forefront of our business strategy and so installing additional solar panels as well as electric car charging seemed a natural step for us. With our new PV system we believe we will be able to power the whole factory from April to September without using any electricity from the National Grid.”

Like many rail and manufacturing businesses, Plasser UK has large areas of roof space and high energy requirements meaning that solar represents an excellent ROI. As well as significantly reducing the company’s carbon footprint, the system is expected to generate a net profit of over £460,000 in the next 25 years – helping the company to stay competitive and shielding it from future energy crises.

“We had our first solar panels installed in 2015 and have now added a new system which more than doubles the number of panels,” explains Michael. “Lots of companies don’t think about doing it again but technology has moved on and the return on investment is now very different – the new panels are significantly more efficient.”

Stephen Barrett, Managing Director of Solarsense, added: “There is huge potential within the rail industry to make more use of solar – both to improve sustainability and bring down costs at all stages of the supply chain. Large buildings such as warehouses offer an ideal location for PV systems and we’re also seeing many businesses making use of other spaces too, such as installing ground mounted arrays in surrounding land or putting solar carports over parking areas. With the improved efficiency of the latest solar panels producing an attractive ROI, we’re excited to see how this will develop in the coming years.”

Plasser UK solar panel video

The 125kWp solar PV system installed on the new roof is comprised of 339 solar panels and will generate 114,576kW hours of clean energy each year. For more information, please see the Plasser UK solar panel case study.

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