“We have found SKYShades to be very helpful throughout this project and respectful of us and our property. We already consider this investment as good value for money and would be pleased to recommend SKYShades”
Case Study: Ark Storage, Warwickshire
Key Facts:
- Building Structure: Asbestos Roof
- Roof Direction: South West
- Solar Product Installed: Tensile PV
- Size of roof: 400 m2
- Size of installation: 9.98 Kwp
- Expected output: 8.96 mwh annually
- Anticipated System Pay Back: 7-8 Years
Background
Ark Storage is an archive and document storage facility based on a farm in South Warwickshire. The company has a number of secure buildings which are dehumidified to protect the contents of the containers.
Now retired, the owners John and Jennifer Lewthwaite wanted to invest in generating clean electricity for two reasons; to reduce their electricity bills and generate a guaranteed income for their retirement.
The Project
Ark Storage is in a remote location exposed to the elements, so installing a wind turbine was considered until planning permission was found to be difficult, when attention turned to solar.
“Along with many others from the farming community we have been aware not only of the investment potential for solar but that it would be ideal for our Archive Store which requires electrically dehumidifying on bright sunny days. We were looking for a light weight system that could be safely installed on our thirty year old asbestos roof” comments John Lewthwaite, owner of Ark Storage.
The Solution
Given the fragility of the barn roof Tensile PV was installed because it weighs only a quarter that of rigid glass panels and can be installed without affecting the integrity of the asbestos. Tensile PV comprises of thin film solar bonded to a tensile membrane. The film absorbs daylight, not just sunlight, turning it into electricity, making it 16% more efficient than glass panels.
The installation is MCS accredited meaning that Ark Storage will be paid a Feed-In Tariff for generating electricity and feeding any not used back into the grid. The income is guaranteed for 25 years and is indexed linked.
The Final Word
“We have found SKYShades to be very helpful throughout this project and respectful of us and our property. We already consider this investment as good value for money and would be pleased to recommend SKYShades”
John Lewthwaite
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