As the UK aims to meet targets to achieve net-zero status by 2050, FIMER teams up with Custom Solar UK to install the country’s largest 6.5MW commercial rooftop solar array.
The UK’s largest commercial rooftop solar system is being unveiled today (November 11th) at the Port of Hull, one of 21 Ports owned and operated by Associated British Ports (ABP). The Humber region is fast becoming the UK’s leader in renewable energy.
The array of 21,000 solar panels covers the port’s warehouse roofs and spans 34,980 square meters, making it the largest rooftop project ever installed in the UK, producing 6.5MW of energy and more than doubling ABP Humber Ports’ renewable energy generation.
The £6.8 million investment will save ABP 2,600 tonnes of CO2 per annum, which equates to the energy needs of 1,450 average UK homes.
The iconic project involved two years of planning prior to construction, starting in October 2019 through to completion in August 2020, and marks FIMER’s first major rooftop solar development in the UK.
FIMER’s chairman Filippo Carzaniga, comments: “FIMER is delighted to be supporting this new era for solar energy in the UK. This was a ground-breaking project, which is our largest installation of its kind in the country. It demonstrates how powerful solar power can be and, we are proud to have worked closely with Custom Solar and ABP to make this vision a reality.”
FIMER teamed up with the UK’s largest solar developer, Custom Solar to install 49 PVS-100-TL 100 kW inverters and 3 PVS-50-TL 50 kW inverters to power the rooftop facility. The solution is ideal for this type of large-scale industrial application where demand for energy fluctuates, and the high power-rating of each inverter means that fewer units are required. It reduces CAPEX, due to its high-power density and cuts OPEX as it is quick to install, easy to configure and maintain.
To ensure that the rooftop solar plant delivered the maximum possible energy, a smart energy management approach was essential for this project and FIMER’s built-in Export limitation delivered the right results.
The Export limitation solution was a key deciding factor in Custom Solar selecting FIMER as its preferred supplier. The most innovative form of energy management in the market allows solar plant owners, like ABP, to maximize self-consumption. The inverter’s integrated distributive control algorithm enables operators to be compliant with the export limit set by grid operators and utilities, without the need for additional controllers or devices.
Matt Brailsford, Managing Director at Custom Solar, added: “It is another proud moment for the Custom Solar team, FIMER and our client Associated British Ports as we deliver yet another iconic rooftop solar system. The project was in planning for nearly two years before beginning construction, due to the sheer complexity of the system we delivered. With carbon reduction, CSR and keen financial savings on the agenda of all large corporations during such a challenging time, we see solar as the perfect fit.”
About FIMER
FIMER is the fourth largest solar inverter supplier in the world. Specializing in solar inverters and mobility systems, it has over 1100 employees worldwide and offers a comprehensive solar solutions portfolio across all applications. FIMER’s skills are further strengthened by its bold and agile approach that sees it consistently invest in R&D. With a presence in 26 countries together with local training centers and manufacturing hubs, FIMER remains close to its customers and the ever-evolving dynamics of the energy industry.
Following the acquisition and integration of ABB’s solar inverter business in the first quarter of 2020, and under the umbrella of the renewed FIMER brand the newly acquired solar inverter portfolio continues to carry the ABB brand under trademark license agreement. www.fimer.com
About ABP
ABP is the UK’s leading ports operator with 21 ports and other transport related businesses creating a unique national network capable of handling a vast array of cargo. The company contributes £7.5 billion to the UK economy every year and supports 119,000 jobs. ABP’s current investment programme promises to further increase their contribution to regional economies around the UK. www.abports.co.uk
