Jersey Electricity plans to build the Island’s first solar PV car port installation that will feed directly into the grid, effectively giving all Islanders a share in locally generated renewable electricity.
In partnership with local supplier SunWorks, we will be installing a 47-kWp array consisting of 170 x 280W panels on the roof of two car ports specially built for the installation on the most southerly part of the Queen’s Road car park we rent to B&Q. Measuring 33 metres x 5 metres and 23 metres x 5 metres the arrays and car ports will cover the equivalent of 22 car park spaces
The plans follow our announcement last month that we and SunWorks will be installing the Island’s largest PV array on roofs at JE’s La Collette Power Station site. Combined, the two projects will increase the total installed solar capacity on Jersey’s grid to approximately 140 kWp, providing 150,000 kWh (units) a year. This would power 21 domestic homes using an average 7,200 units a year or propel a Nissan Leaf for 630,000 miles. Both installations are subject to Planning Permissions but we hope to have them built and operational later this year.
Like La Collette, the car park installation will again use the award-winning Norwegian REC solar panels which themselves have the lowest carbon footprint among leading manufacturers. This is because the energy used in the silicon production process is low carbon as 96% of Norway’s electricity is from hydro-electric sources. The car ports are manufactured by Giulio Barbieri Outdoor Solutions in Ferrara, Italy.
JE CEO Chris Ambler said: ‘This latest solar endeavour is the next of a series that we are looking at that will diversify energy sources to include local renewables. Jersey already benefits from an almost completely decarbonised power supply, a third of which is already from renewable hydro-electric sources. Solar PV, however, is becoming more economical and sits comfortably alongside our existing imported decarbonised power.
‘We installed our own array on the Powerhouse six years ago from which we have learned a great deal, and last year announced plans to facilitate a larger scale pilot export-only, ground-mounted solar farm which is progressing.’
Mark Brandon, founder and Director, of SunWorks said: ‘We are again delighted to work with JE on another important project to.generate local renewable energy and promote the transition to electric vehicles.’
