Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells

A worldwide research and development company, which innovatively discovers sustainable solutions for various advanced technology industries.

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K e y S t a t s

CO2 saved per year

114,184kgCO2e saved per year

System Size

250 kWp

Panels Installed

Trina Solar 275W

Inverter Model

SolarEdge

The Challenge

Operating in 30 countries, Johnson Matthey’s energy usage was high which was creating a large financial electricity bill, whilst also causing the company difficulties in meeting their corporate social responsibility objectives.

As part of their operations, the company has two R&D facilities in the UK responsible for fuel cell technology innovation. Due to the high intensity of power being used onsite, their Swindon plant contacted us to investigate how a solar PV system could help them generate their own electricity and make considerable savings on their energy bills. This was yet made more complex as the rooftop had plant chimneys and air filters on the roof.

OUR SOLUTION

The client was interested in the biggest system size possible to fill the roof space. We advised a 250 kWp system, just slightly smaller than what the roof could accommodate. With the client’s financial interest in mind, having a system larger than 250 kWp would have put the array into the next feed-in tariff banding which paid almost 50% less for each unit of electricity generated, when it was previously available. This advice was also welcomed by the client as any capital expenditure made by the company had to meet a certain investment criteria.

The initial survey of the client’s rooftop found that the many chimneys and ventilation pipes would create a large amount of localised shading on the roof, which would impact on the PV system’s generation. So we proposed an innovative solution using SolarEdge technology that would allow each solar panel to be controlled individually, minimising the effect of shade over the whole array. This would subsequently increase the productiveness of the entire system.

THE RESULT

A key benefit of SolarEdge technology is that the performance of each panel can be monitored remotely 24/7 via a web portal. Not only does this give the client access to their generation statistics for each individual panel and the system in general, but any issues on the PV system are easily and quickly identified via the online portal. This allows prompt remedy of any faults in the future by our experienced operation and maintenance team.

Today, the 250kWp system generates 217,041kWh per year, whilst reducing their annual carbon emissions by 114,184kgCO2e. Since installation, our client has been able to consistently meet their environmental objectives, which is essential for representing their brand in the right way to potential clients. What’s more, the company has also received monthly financial benefits from the system’s generation, which allows them to reinvest more of their savings back into the company.

Manufacturing

Rainhill Road

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