Solar reduces grid reliance by almost 50 per cent for north western manufacturer
Read time: 3 minutes
Read time: 3 minutes
Solar has reduced Airhandler's grid reliance.
Air Handlers Northern (AHN) manufacture air handling units for industrial and commercial settings from their base in Salford. The business has worked with Green Economy consultants for many years, working with expert consultants to develop their resource efficiency strategy, working together to improve energy security for their operation.
In 2024, the business worked with Green Economy to develop a business case for solar on their roof, which would reduce grid reliance and fast track this strategy.
Priya Sirpal, Commercial Partnerships Manager, worked with the business to develop a project scope and shared this with solar provides that met their requirements. Priya helped to shortlist suppliers and arranged face-to-face introductions and consultations with Mark Higgitt, commercial director at AHN.
“I felt the introduction process was excellent, being introduced to the experts directly and in-person sped up the learning process and sharing of knowledge.
“I would advise any organisation considering a solar partnership to ensure that both the supplier and end user have a clear idea on timescales, deadlines, processes, and what needs to be done and why. Defining payback periods is also important. This builds a much clearer project specification.”
"Businesses interested in decarbonising aren't always sure who the right supplier is for their needs. We can make the necessary introductions to a local, trusted suppliers who'll consult with you on the process behind your project - ensuring you know what to expect and how to move forward."
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“The feasibility study is a site survey designed to and find out what their processes and drivers are and what they want to achieve,” says Kes Scott, managing director of KAST. “A lot of that was confirmed by Priya at Green Economy; we followed on from that to ensure we had all the data we needed for our own study.”
KAST used AHN’s monthly energy bills and half-hourly data to track energy demand and decide on the most effective green tech solution for AHN.
“We realised we could install a 60kW solar system on their roof and reduce their reliance on the grid by almost 50 per cent,” Kes added. “The payback was initially indicated at around two or two and a half years. This could save roughly 12 tonnes of CO2 per annum.”
Once the strategy was agreed with AHN, KAST applied for permission to connect from the Distribution Network Operator (DNO), a process which takes a day internally, but up to six weeks externally. In terms of timescale interruptions, this process is a common hurdle for solar installations.
AHN now have the tools in place to monitor energy generated by their solar system, identify any potential issues, and continue improving their energy efficiency.
Reflecting on the installation, Mark shared his advice for other organisations considering investing in solar:
“Specify timeframes so suppliers and end users have a clear idea as to when certain steps will be taking place and when their system will be fully operational.
"The difficult part of this project was getting the DNO and export license approved, once they were sorted it was a smooth process.”
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