Toyota is set to become the first car maker in the UK to install large scale solar panel installation after a scheme gained approval from the local planning authority.
Now the car maker will see its manufacturing plant in Derbyshire transformed, as work begins on installing 17,000 ground mounted solar panels on 90,000m2 of industrial land around the Burnaston plant; where the Auris, Auris hybrid and Avensis models are built.
The panel array would cover almost four and a half football pitches and will generate 4,600,000 kWh per year-enough to brew 150 million cups of tea. The electricity generated from the panels will be used on site and is expected to be enough to build approximately 7,000 cars a year-all with clean and green solar energy. The scheme will save up to 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.
The solar panels will cost more than £10 million and will be installed and paid for by British Gas. Installation work has started and the array is expected to begin supplying power to the plant by July.
The development is a key part of Toyota’s ‘Sustainable Plant’ vision in which manufacturing operations are designed to work in harmony with their local community and surrounding environment. The UK is one of just five Toyota plants worldwide to be designated a ‘Sustainable Plant’ with first-rate environmental credentials.
Jon Kimber, Managing Director of British Gas New Energy, said: “With energy costs increasing and a tough financial climate, all businesses are looking at ways to cut their bills as well as reduce their carbon emissions. Solar power has the potential to make this happen and really revolutionise the way Britain’s homes and businesses generate energy. Toyota is a real beacon for green business throughout the UK.”
