Technology Magazine November 2023 | Page 63

How SOL PV helped Central Co-op become a greener business
SOL PV has become a standout in the renewable energy industry and is helping organisations like Central Co-op to achieve their sustainability goals
SOL PV Group is an established name in the solar sector , specialising in the installation of PV panels . While an increasing number of requests for projects on the ground are flooding in , the company ’ s bread and butter remains the commercial rooftop sector . Very few large installers in the UK are doing similar work to the same standards , making SOL PV a standout in its field .
Forming a partnership with Central Co-op In early 2022 , Central Co-op invited SOL PV to tender two trial sites with a tview to rolling out solar capabilities across its portfolio . The trials proved successful and ultimately resulted in the go-ahead for installation at 180 Co-op sites , including convenience stores and funeral homes . Already , the aforementioned trial locations are producing an energy yield which is 10-15 % greater than originally predicted . “ We ’ re very much focused on quality products and materials because , for us , it ’ s all about safety ,” says Brett Reynolds , Sales Director at SOL PV .
“ Supermarkets open seven days a week are fantastic models for utilising solar because they ’ re using 90-100 % of what they generate . “ Everyone ’ s happy because we ’ re making greater savings and a quicker return on investment for the Co-op .”
A good time to go green Reynolds calls the nine years from 2010 to 2019 a “ solar coaster ” thanks to the government ’ s feed-in tariffs scheme . Although customers were paid for exporting energy to the National Grid , firms like SOL PV were confronted with a “ nightmare ” in trying to keep up with demand . Now , the market has matured and can stand on its own two feet . Reynolds adds : “ Two factors are stimulating the commercial marketplace : the rise in energy prices and this requirement for businesses to reduce their carbonfootprint . “ That , combined with the reduction in price of materials , means solar has become a fantastic addition to commercial buildings and we ’ re seeing extremely favourable ROIs on these systems .”