Solar panel installation helps Wiltshire candle factory be powered by sun light
We’ve completed the installation of 184 solar panels on the roof of Heaven Scent candle factory in Holt, Wiltshire. The installation will cut the factory’s energy bills, protect them from increasing electricity prices and reduce their carbon footprint.
We have fitted a 50KW photovoltaic (PV) system on the Heaven Scent Incense Ltd factory on Station Road in Holt, near Bradford on Avon. Heaven Scent produce naturally scented candles, incense and other natural products from their premises.
Reduce electricity bills and create clean electricity
Danil Pettit, owner of Heaven Scent said, “As a light-industrial scale electricity consumer with a strong ethos of sustainability, we wanted to reduce our reliance on the electricity grid and cut our energy footprint. We knew that solar panels would reduce our electricity bills too, and so creating our own clean and free electricity on site made complete sense.”
With the PV installation completed in the Spring, the panels were providing around one third of the factory’s energy consumption – and with the Summer and sunnier days now here, this is expected to increase.
Ian Dunstone, Managing Director at Oakray Renewables Ltd, said: “Heaven Scent are buying less electricity from their supplier, and importantly, have protected themselves from the volatile and increasing energy supply prices. The free electricity could save Heaven Scent up to £4,500 in energy costs per year which becomes even more valuable as the price of electricity inevitably increases. This is on top of £1,500 gained per year in government incentives. The carbon reduction would be around 46 tonnes of CO2.”
Oakray Renewables also installed meters and monitoring systems to the factory, and with the significant amount of data gathered, Heaven Scent can examine both their electricity generation and consumption to help them establish better working practices to reduce their energy costs even further.
Long term saving in energy costs
Mr Dunstone said: “While there is the initial capital outlay, solar panel equipment prices are continuing to fall. As energy prices increase, these cost savings can quickly bring a good return on investment. Accounting for a 5% rise in electricity prices per year, and combined with government incentives, this solar panel installation could save Heaven Scent up to £215,000 in energy costs over the next 25 years.”
Many banks, such as Lloyds Bank’s Clean Growth Finance Scheme, are encouraging investment in green energy projects by providing discounted lending to help businesses invest in reducing their environmental impact as well as boosting productivity.
Building owners can get solar panels installed with no captial outlay
Mr Dunstone continued: “But in situations where a business does not have the funds or doesn’t want to borrow to fund the installation, there are Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) available. With these agreements, building owners get to use 100% of the electricity produced by the solar PV system on their roof or ground, but the capital outlay is zero.”
For more information on how solar panels could reduce your electricity bills and improve your carbon footprint, please contact us.
