Challenge
Nitrogen and hydrogen have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902. Air Liquide’s ambition is to be the leader in its industry, delivering long-term performance and acting responsibly. To fuel this goal, they made the decision to install a solar PV system at their UK head office in Coleshill. This helps the company meet their sustainability objectives, and reduce their dependence on the electricity grid.
This project would serve as a pilot, with the possibility of further installations in the future. Therefore, we were tasked with designing and installing a system that would become a critical part of their operations into the future.
Our Resolution
Air Liquide’s brief was to install a system as close to 250 kWp as possible. After a detailed survey, we proposed splitting the system over three areas of the site, utilising 876 x 275W Trina panels and Solar Edge optimisers that would enhance the performance of each panel and minimise the impact of some minor shading issues. SolarEdge technology also meant that each panel could be monitored individually.
Because Air Liquide wanted to maximise the system’s output in challenging conditions, they needed to work with a supplier who used the best technology available, had extensive expertise and offered a full maintenance plan, all of which we provided.
Safety was our number one priority during the installation, and took precedence over any decision. In total, it took three weeks to complete, with various types of mounting frames and fixing methods being used to fit the system onto different roof types across the site.
The result
Now complete, all of the solar energy generated onsite will be used by their intensive seven day a week operations, expected to be around 224,182 kWh per year. It also reduces the company’s carbon footprint by over 100 tonnes annually.
This was the largest PV system installation at an Air Liquide UK site. They were delighted to have received a complex system on time and within budget, despite adverse weather conditions whilst adhering to their very stringent health and safety standards.
Air Liquide is committed to optimising their environmental footprint, so utilising energy from sustainable sources was a key factor in their decision to install a PV system, allowing them to act responsibly and bring value to their stakeholders.