Fireco received a Community Solar Accelerator grant of £19,600 for a 39.7kW solar array and 2 x 22kW electric vehicle charging points.
Fireco develops, manufactures and sells their own unique fire safety products and systems. They operate from their 18,000 sq ft premises in Southwick, East Sussex. They manufacture their products and run test equipment on site, as well as running a large office.
The flat roof has about 200m2 available for solar and was refurbished in 2019. Fireco operates during daytime hours and will use most of the solar generated throughout the day. They installed over 70 solar panels that are expected to provide about 40% of their electricity usage every year. This will save them roughly £6,000 every year.
Fireco also installed 2 wall-mounted Zappi 22kW electric vehicle charging points.
Zappi is an adaptive EV charger that has the intelligence to use the solar power when it’s being generated and switch to using grid electricity at other times. The switching between these modes allows for the most efficient use of the chargers.
“Fireco is working towards the environmental ISO14001 standard. The installation of PV and EV equipment will support our goal in achieving this and minimising our impact on the environment. We are proud of our company and the steps we are taking to be more eco conscious,” Kristian Salter, Director
Solar Impact in Numbers
Size or Solar PV array: 39.7 kWp
Predicted production of electricity: 40,000 kWh per year
Predicted cost savings: £6,000 in the first year – this is expected to increase in the following years with increased cost per kWh of electricity.
Return on Investment: 4-5 years
Grant Amount Received: £19,600
Expected lifetime of the solar PV system: 25-30 years
Carbon Reduction: 11.2 tonnes CO2e* per year
Install date: Feb 2023
*CO2e calculated with conversion factor of 0.35156kg CO2e/kWh as confirmed with the managing authority.
