In a bid to bring long-term savings and environmental benefits to its port, Portsmouth is to spend US$1.5 million on the latest solar technology.
The investment in solar panels is the latest move to reduce the carbon footprint of Portsmouth International Port, while reducing its impact on the environment.
4,500 solar panels have just been installed on the roofs of warehouses belonging to MMD Ltd, the leading UK fruit importer owned by Portsmouth City Council.
Engineers worked throughout November and December to install the high tech panels covering large areas on top of three warehouses.
The new solar panels will provide 15% of MMD’s annual energy requirements, and have a lifespan of at least 20 years.
The panels aim to reduce the need to take expensive power from the national grid, and thereby reduce emissions at the generating stage of the power chain.
Port Manger at Portsmouth International Port, Martin Putman, said: “We’ve researched many options for reducing our carbon footprint and saving money on power at MMD.
“Now that solar technology is more efficient, and the panels have become cheaper, it is definitely the right time to make this significant investment in our future. We know the South Coast has more solar radiation than anywhere else in the UK, so we are guaranteed a good rate of return on our investment.”
The newly installed solar panels will immediately provide one megawatt of power every year. That’s enough electricity to power 239 average-sized homes.
(Source: lr.org)
