Refresco, a leading independent provider of Complete Beverage Solutions, has commenced a major 21.5MWp solar PV programme across four of its UK manufacturing facilities, marking one of the largest commercial and industrial solar deployments undertaken in the UK.
The investment supports Refresco’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing operations, increase onsite renewable electricity generation and strengthen the long-term resilience of its energy supply.
At the centre of the rollout is an 8.5MWp installation at Refresco’s Bridgwater facility, which is expected to become the UK’s largest solar PV system installed on a single continuous roof. The project will comprise more than 18,000 high-efficiency solar modules and is expected to generate approximately 7.5GWh of renewable electricity annually.
Once operational, the system is expected to supply around 17% of the site’s annual electricity demand, providing a significant source of renewable power directly at the point of use and reducing reliance on grid-supplied electricity. Refresco selected GB NRG following a competitive procurement process involving twelve leading commercial solar providers, appointing the company to develop, design, engineer and deliver the four-site programme across its UK operations.
GB NRG also took the portfolio to market on Refresco’s behalf, running a competitive process that resulted in Zestec Renewable Energy being selected to fund and manage the solar infrastructure over the long term.
The projects will be delivered through Zestec’s long-term Power Purchase Agreements backed by Octopus Energy Generation managed funds. Installation of the flagship project is already well underway.
Delivering an installation of this scale on a live 24/7 manufacturing facility presents significant engineering and operational challenges. GB NRG has worked closely with Refresco to develop a solution that maintains uninterrupted production, protects roof integrity and ensures the highest standards of health, safety and long-term system performance throughout construction.
The scale of the installation places the project at the forefront of commercial rooftop solar deployment in the UK and demonstrates the potential for major manufacturers and other large energy users to turn previously unused roof space into a significant source of onsite energy generation.
James Logan, Managing Director of Refresco UK, said: “Reducing the environmental impact of our manufacturing operations is an important part of Refresco’s long-term strategy, alongside maintaining the scale, efficiency and reliability our customers expect.
“This programme will enable us to generate more renewable electricity directly at our production facilities, reduce our reliance on grid-supplied electricity and strengthen the long-term resilience of our operations. By reducing emissions from our manufacturing activities, we can also support our customers in achieving their own sustainability objectives and addressing emissions within their supply chains.
“We are particularly excited by the scale of the flagship installation. We have worked closely with GB NRG to develop the programme and identify the right delivery and funding solution, and we are pleased to be moving forward with GB NRG and Zestec.”
Jon Antoniou, Founder and CEO of GB NRG, said: “We are extremely proud to have been selected by Refresco to deliver what is a genuinely landmark solar programme.
“An 8.5MWp installation on a single roof is an exceptional project in its own right, and across the four sites we expect to deliver 21.5MWp of onsite solar generation.
“Our role has gone beyond designing and installing the systems. We took the portfolio to the funding market on Refresco’s behalf and selected Zestec through a competitive process, bringing together the technical, commercial and funding solution required to deliver solar at this scale.
“Being trusted to deliver the programme, following Refresco’s own competitive process involving twelve solar providers, is a major endorsement of the GB NRG team and the expertise we have built over the past 16 years.”
Toby Smith, COO of Zestec Renewable Energy, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Refresco and GB NRG on such a significant portfolio of commercial solar projects.
“Large-scale rooftop solar gives businesses such as Refresco the opportunity to make productive use of existing roof space, reduce reliance on grid electricity and make meaningful progress towards their sustainability objectives, without the need for upfront capital investment.
“This programme demonstrates what can be achieved by bringing together an ambitious end user, an experienced delivery partner, and long-term investment capital. As the funding and asset management partner, we look forward to supporting Refresco over the long term.”
For Refresco, the programme represents a major step in integrating renewable energy into its manufacturing infrastructure and supporting its long-term sustainability objectives.
For GB NRG and Zestec, the programme represents another major milestone as both companies continue to expand their involvement in delivering multi-megawatt commercial and industrial solar projects across Great Britain.
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