Becoming carbon-neutral

Jon Lawson

Computer manufacturer PC Specialist is one step closer to reaching its goal of becoming carbon-neutral after a 950-panel solar array was completed at its two units in Wakefield, UK, by the solar developer, EvoEnergy.

The company decided to invest in solar technology as part of its ongoing environmental commitment to become a carbon-neutral site by 2020 whilst also driving down its energy costs.

The 235.5kWp system will allow the firm to offset 96 tonnes of carbon per year, providing it with 187,900kWh annually – the equivalent generation to satisfy the average electricity demand of 57 homes.

The business - which can be testing up to 500 PCs at any given time - currently uses around 285,000 kWh per year. With up to two thirds of its energy usage now generated from solar, its owners expect to save more than £20,000 per year.

PC Specialist director Danny Williams said: “Though restrictions meant that we couldn’t have a system as big as we wanted, we’re keen to look into this in the future. With the saving from our bills, the feed-in tariff and the exported energy, we’re looking at a good saving on our costs.”

The PV system – consisting of 250W Risen modules and optimised by Solar Edge technology to maximise the generation – was recently installed by a team of six from Nottinghamshire-based EvoEnergy. The project took two weeks to complete.

Solar Edge enabled systems separate all modules within the string to stop poorly performing modules from affecting the efficiency of the whole array. Not only will this make the system up to 25% more efficient, but the array is also safer and easier to repair should anything go wrong. The client can also check the performance of each inverter and module 24/7 via the free web portal. Being able to quickly identify any issues with the array allows for prompt remedy by EvoEnergy’s operation and maintenance team.

The system covers 9,500sqm of PC Specialist’s head office and manufacturing plant in Wakefield.