Summary
We designed and installed a 1.57 MWp solar PV system across the rooftop and existing carport structure at DPD’s Docklands eco-sortation hub. As part of a wider portfolio rollout, this project marked the first time DPD integrated rooftop and carport solar at a single site.
The installation supports DPD’s ESG commitments as part of the Geopost group, which has pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. Despite a highly constrained programme and complex logistics, we delivered the project on time and helped DPD take another major step towards its sustainability goals.
Challenge
Located in the heart of London’s busy Docklands, the site posed a number of access and logistical challenges from the outset. As part of a local ecology zone, the site is adjacent to a nature reserve and plays host to nesting birds on the rooftop. We had to carefully plan the installation schedule to ensure we avoided disturbing the nesting period, which meant deferring all rooftop work until after September. Alongside this seasonal constraint, we had to deliver the full system before the client entered their peak Christmas parcel season.
From an engineering perspective, the site required a board extension to accommodate the connection, and our team had to work around existing ladder racks and cable runs to make space. The rooftop’s skylight configuration and the need to integrate the new carport array added further complexity, as did the requirement to comply with a G100 export limitation on the grid connection. The carport structure, installed before our involvement, had to be adapted for PV mounting and connected seamlessly into the overall design.
Solution
Following a competitive tender, we carried out detailed desktop studies to design a bespoke system that worked within all the site’s physical and operational limitations. We installed a 1.45 MWp rooftop system and a 121 kWp solar PV array on the carport structure, delivering a total installed capacity of 1.57 MWp.
Our engineering team developed a solution that integrated the rooftop and carport generation into a unified system, carefully routing cables through complex infrastructure and completing a full board extension to accommodate the connection.
We installed specialist bird mesh around every array to ensure long-term system integrity and meet ecological requirements. All work was planned to begin after the nesting season and completed ahead of the site’s peak delivery period. By closely coordinating our schedule and working collaboratively with DPD, we ensured zero disruption to operations throughout delivery.
Result
The system is projected to generate 1,304,003 kWh annually and deliver carbon savings of 303,832 kg CO₂e in its first year alone. As part of DPD’s wider renewable energy strategy, the Docklands site showcases how clean energy infrastructure can be successfully integrated into operational logistics hubs — even in high-density urban environments.
This is the first site in DPD’s portfolio to combine rooftop and carport solar generation, and one of several we’ve delivered for the client following projects at Hinckley and Oldbury. By aligning with their ESG commitments under Geopost, this installation supports DPD’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 while also demonstrating the replicability of solar PV across their wider estate.