Marks & Spencer (M&S) has completed what it claims to be the largest roof-mounted solar array in the UK.
More than 24,000 panels have been installed on its East Midlands distribution centre in Castle Donington.
They are expected to generate enough electricity to power nearly 2,000 homes. That’s nearly 25% of the energy required for the facility, which is enough to hold 11 football pitches.
The 6.1MW project will also help lower the supermarket’s carbon footprint by 48,000 tonnes over 20 years.
Amber Rudd, Minister for Energy and Climate Change said: “There is massive potential to turn our large buildings into power stations – and this is a great example of how businesses can reap the benefits.”
M&S has inked a power purchase agreement with Amber Infrastructure – which funded, supplied and installed the solar array – to buy all the generated electricity for 20 years.
The supermarket has made a commitment to source 100% of its electricity for UK and Ireland buildings from renewable sources by 2020.