A patch of land in Somerset, UK, is now helping power one of Britain’s most recognisable vacuum cleaners.
Numatic International has switched on a new $1.25 million micro-solar park in Chard, Somerset, in what it says is a U.K. first. The five-acre site, installed by SunGift Solar, will supply clean power directly into Numatic’s plastic molding operations, one of the most energy-intensive parts of the Henry Hoover manufacturing process.
The company said the installation will allow it to manufacture “the equivalent of 500,000 Henrys a year from sunshine” while reducing its annual carbon dioxide emissions.
Numatic said its array of 2,672 panels is expected to meet around 20 percent of its annual on-site electricity demand, rising as high as 100 percent on some days.
The company said the solar park will cut carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 267 tons a year, the equivalent of the yearly emissions of about 58 average passenger cars.
Stephen George, regulatory affairs and sustainability manager at Numatic International, said: “By investing in cutting-edge solar technology, we’re reducing our environmental footprint at the same time as protecting our manufacturing operations from rapidly rising energy costs.
“Part of our ‘Operation Cleansweep’ sustainability goals, the new micro-solar-park shows what can be achieved when you reimagine how you approach small spaces.
“It helps us on our journey as a responsible manufacturer and accelerates our progress towards achieving Net Zero by 2035.
“As a result, we will be able to make the equivalent of 500,000 Henrys a year from sunshine while cutting our CO2 emissions by 266.91 tons a year!”
The site uses AIKO All-Back-Contact cells paired with Sigenergy’s hybrid inverters, which Numatic said produces more than 7 percent more kilowatt-hours per panel than conventional ground-mounted solar PV arrays.
Numatic said the investment will pay for itself in under five years, and potentially as soon as two and a half years at current grid energy prices.
Gabriel Wondrausch, director at SunGift Solar, said: “Originally earmarked as a site for new manufacturing units, we calculated that by using highly efficient commercial versions of solar panels normally only used on domestic properties, we could transform a relatively small parcel of land into a hugely valuable solar asset for Numatic, capable of delivering a fifth of its annual energy needs.
“Providing a blueprint for other high-energy-use manufacturers to follow, the technology shows how small parcels of land adjoining factories or businesses can be converted into direct-feed solar power generation centers.”
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